Evergy, Inc 8-K, filed Aug 24, 2026
Evergy, Inc. (EVRG)
About this 8-K
Evergy, Inc filed this 8-K on August 24, 2026.
Items reported
- Item 1.02: Ended a material agreement
- Item 8.01: Other events
- Item 9.01: Financial statements and exhibits
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, DC 20549
FORM
CURRENT REPORT
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| Item 1.02. | Termination of a Material Definitive Agreement. |
On August 24, 2026, Evergy, Inc. (the “Company”) terminated the $500 million Term Loan Credit Agreement, dated as of February 11, 2026, between the Company and Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., as administrative agent and the lenders party thereto, which was to mature on February 10, 2027. The Company incurred no early termination penalties as a result of such termination.
| Item 8.01. | Other Events. |
On August 24, 2026, the Company issued $600,000,000 in aggregate principal amount of the Company’s 6.40% Fixed-to-Fixed Reset Rate Junior Subordinated Notes due 2057 (the “Notes”), pursuant to an Underwriting Agreement, dated August 17, 2026, among the Company and BofA Securities, Inc., Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, MUFG Securities Americas Inc. and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, as representatives of the several underwriters named therein. The Notes were registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, pursuant to the registration statement (the “Registration Statement”) on Form S-3 of the Company, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 16, 2024 (File No. 333-281614).
In connection with the issuance and sale of the Notes, the Company entered into the several agreements and other instruments listed in Item 9.01 of this Current Report on Form 8-K and filed as exhibits hereto. Also, in connection with the issuance and sale of the Notes, the Company is filing a legal opinion regarding the validity of the Notes as Exhibit 5.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and a legal opinion regarding certain tax matters as Exhibit 8.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K for the purpose of incorporating such opinions into the Registration Statement. Each of these exhibits is incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement.
| Item 9.01. | Financial Statements and Exhibits. |
(d) Exhibits.
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
| Evergy, Inc. | ||||||
| Date: August 24, 2026 | /s/ Geoffrey T. Ley | |||||
| Geoffrey T. Ley | ||||||
| Senior Vice President, Corporate Planning and Treasurer | ||||||
Exhibit 1.1
Evergy, Inc.
$600,000,000 6.40% Fixed-to-Fixed Reset Rate Junior Subordinated Notes due 2057
UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
dated August 17, 2026
BofA Securities, Inc.
Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC
Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC
MUFG Securities Americas Inc.
Wells Fargo Securities, LLC
Underwriting Agreement
August 17, 2026
BofA Securities, Inc.
Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC
Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC
MUFG Securities Americas Inc.
Wells Fargo Securities, LLC
As Representatives of the several Underwriters named in Schedule A hereto
| c/o | BofA Securities, Inc. |
One Bryant Park
New York, New York 10036
| c/o | Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC |
200 West Street
New York, New York 10282
| c/o | Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC |
1585 Broadway, 29th Floor
New York, New York 10036
| c/o | MUFG Securities Americas Inc. |
1221 Avenue of the Americas
New York, New York 10020
and
| c/o | Wells Fargo Securities, LLC |
550 South Tryon Street, 5th Floor
Charlotte, North Carolina 28202
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Evergy, Inc., a Missouri corporation (the “Company”), proposes to issue and sell to the several underwriters named in Schedule A hereto (the “Underwriters”), acting severally and not jointly, the respective amounts set forth in Schedule A hereto of $600,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the Company’s 6.40% Fixed-to-Fixed Reset Rate Junior Subordinated Notes due 2057 (the “Notes”). BofA Securities, Inc., Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, MUFG Securities Americas Inc. and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC have agreed to act as representatives of the several Underwriters (in such capacity, the “Representatives”) in connection with the offering and sale of the Notes.
The Notes will be issued pursuant to a subordinated indenture, as previously supplemented (the “Base Indenture”), dated as of May 18, 2009, between the Company (successor to Great Plains Energy Incorporated) and The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., as trustee (the “Trustee”). Certain terms of the Notes will be established pursuant to a supplemental indenture (the “Supplemental Indenture”) in accordance with Article XIII of the Base Indenture (together with the Base Indenture, the “Indenture”). The Notes will be issued in book-entry form in the name of Cede & Co., as nominee of The Depository Trust Company (the “Depositary”), pursuant to the Company’s Blanket Letter of Representations to the Depositary dated August 22, 2019 (the “DTC Agreement”).
The Company has prepared and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-281614) to be used in connection with, among other securities, the public offering and sale of debt securities, including the Notes, of the Company. Such registration statement, including the financial statements, exhibits and schedules thereto, in the form in which it became effective under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (collectively, the “Securities Act”), including any required information deemed to be a part of the registration statement at the time of effectiveness pursuant to Rule 430B of the Securities Act (“Rule 430B”), is called the “Registration Statement.” The term “Base Prospectus” shall mean the base prospectus dated August 16, 2024 relating to the Notes. The term “Preliminary Prospectus” shall mean any preliminary prospectus supplement relating to the Notes, together with the Base Prospectus, that is filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the Securities Act (“Rule 424(b)”). The term “Prospectus” shall mean the final prospectus supplement relating to the Notes, together with the Base Prospectus, that is first filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) after the date and time that this Agreement is executed (the “Execution Time”) and delivered by the parties hereto. Any reference herein to the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the documents that are or are deemed to be incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 of the Securities Act prior to 3:35 p.m. (Eastern time) on August 17, 2026 (the “Initial Sale Time”). All references in this Agreement to the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus, or any amendments or supplements to any of the foregoing, shall include any copy thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to its Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval System (“EDGAR”).
All references in this Agreement to financial statements and schedules and other information that is “contained,” “included” or “stated” (or other references of like import) in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any Preliminary Prospectus shall be deemed to mean and include all such financial statements and schedules and other information that is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any Preliminary Prospectus, as the case may be, prior to the Initial Sale Time; and all references in this Agreement to amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any Preliminary Prospectus shall be deemed to include the filing of any document under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (collectively, the “Exchange Act”), which is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any Preliminary Prospectus, as the case may be, after the Initial Sale Time.
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The Company hereby confirms its agreements with the Underwriters as follows:
Section 1. Representations and Warranties of the Company.
The Company hereby represents, warrants and covenants to each Underwriter as of the date hereof, as of the Initial Sale Time and as of the Closing Date (as such term is defined herein) (in each case, a “Representation Date”), as follows:
(a) Well-Known Seasoned Issuer. (i) At the time of filing the Registration Statement, (ii) at the time of the most recent amendment thereto for the purposes of complying with Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act (whether such amendment was by post-effective amendment, incorporated report filed pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act or form of prospectus), (iii) at the time the Company or any person acting on its behalf (within the meaning, for this clause only, of Rule 163(c) of the Securities Act) made any offer relating to the Notes in reliance on the exemption of Rule 163 of the Securities Act, and (iv) as of the Execution Time (with such date being used as the determination date for purposes of this clause (iv)), the Company was and is a “well-known seasoned issuer” (as such term is defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act (“Rule 405”)). The Registration Statement is an “automatic shelf registration statement” (as such term is defined in Rule 405), the Company has not received from the Commission any notice pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) of the Securities Act (“Rule 401(g)(2)”) objecting to use of the automatic shelf registration statement form and the Company has not otherwise ceased to be eligible to use the automatic shelf registration statement form.
(b) Compliance with Registration Requirements. The Company meets the requirements for use of Form S-3 of the Securities Act and the Notes have been duly registered under the Securities Act pursuant to the Registration Statement. The Registration Statement was filed with the Commission and has become effective under the Securities Act on August 16, 2024 and no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued under the Securities Act and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or are pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, are contemplated or threatened by the Commission, and any request on the part of the Commission for additional information has been complied with. In addition, the Indenture has been duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (the “Trust Indenture Act”).
At the respective times the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendments thereto became effective and at each Representation Date, the Registration Statement and any amendments thereto (i) complied and will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the Trust Indenture Act, and (ii) did not and will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading. Neither the Prospectus nor any amendments or supplements thereto, at the time the Prospectus or any such amendment or supplement was issued and at the Closing Date, included or will include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or will omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the representations and warranties in this Section 1(b) shall not apply to (A) that part of the Registration Statement that constitutes the Statement of Eligibility on Form T-1 of the Trustee under the Trust Indenture Act or (B) statements in or omissions from the Registration Statement
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or any post-effective amendment or the Prospectus or any amendments or supplements thereto made in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished to the Company in writing by any of the Underwriters through the Representatives expressly for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 7(b) hereof.
Each Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus, at the time each was filed with the Commission, complied in all material respects with the Securities Act and each Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus delivered to the Underwriters for use in connection with the offering of the Notes will, at the time of such delivery, be identical to any electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by the Commission’s Regulation S-T.
(c) Disclosure Package. The term “Disclosure Package” shall mean (i) the Preliminary Prospectus dated August 17, 2026, (ii) each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus (as such term is defined below) identified as an “Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus” in Annex I hereto (each, an “Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus”) and (iii) any other free writing prospectus that the parties hereto shall hereafter expressly agree in writing to treat as part of the Disclosure Package. The term “Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” shall mean any “issuer free writing prospectus” (as such term is defined in Rule 433 of the Securities Act (“Rule 433”)) relating to the Notes that (A) is required to be filed with the Commission by the Company or (B) is a “road show that is a written communication” within the meaning of Rule 433(d)(8)(i), whether or not required to be filed with the Commission, in each case in the form filed or required to be filed with the Commission or, if not required to be so filed, in the form retained in the Company’s records pursuant to Rule 433(g). The term “Issuer Limited Use Free Writing Prospectus” shall mean any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is not an Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus as identified in Annex I hereto. At the Initial Sale Time, neither (1) the Disclosure Package nor (2) any individual Issuer Limited Use Free Writing Prospectus, when considered with the Disclosure Package, included any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The preceding sentence does not apply to statements in or omissions from the Disclosure Package or any Issuer Limited Use Free Writing Prospectus based upon and in conformity with information furnished to the Company in writing by any Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by or on behalf of any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 7(b) hereof.
(d) Incorporated Documents. The documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus (i) at the time they were or hereafter are filed with the Commission, complied or will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Exchange Act and (ii) when read together with the other information in the Disclosure Package, at the Initial Sale Time, and when read together with the other information in the Prospectus, at the date of the Prospectus and at the Closing Date, did not or will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
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(e) Not an Ineligible Issuer. (i) At the earliest time after the filing of the Registration Statement that the Company or another offering participant makes a bona fide offer (within the meaning of Rule 164(h)(2) of the Securities Act) of the Notes and (ii) as of the Execution Time (with such date being used as the determination date for purposes of this clause (ii)), the Company was not or is not an “ineligible issuer” (as such term is defined in Rule 405), without taking account of any determination by the Commission pursuant to Rule 405 that it is not necessary that the Company be considered such an ineligible issuer.
(f) Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses. Each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, as of its issue date and at all subsequent times through the completion of the public offering and sale of Notes or until any earlier date that the Company notified or notifies the Representatives as described in the next sentence, did not, does not and will not include any information that conflicted, conflicts or will conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus. If at any time following issuance of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus there occurred or occurs an event or development as a result of which such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus conflicted or would conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, the Company has promptly notified or shall promptly notify the Representatives and has promptly amended or supplemented or shall promptly amend or supplement, at its own expense, such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to eliminate or correct such conflict. The foregoing two sentences do not apply to statements in or omissions from any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus based upon and in conformity with information furnished to the Company in writing by any Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 7(b) hereof.
(g) No Applicable Registration or Other Similar Rights. There are no persons with registration or other similar rights to have any equity or debt securities registered for sale under the Registration Statement or included in the offering contemplated by this Agreement, except for such rights as have been duly waived.
(h) Due Incorporation and Qualification. The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the state of Missouri with corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement, the Indenture and the Notes; and the Company is duly qualified as a foreign corporation to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except where the failure to so qualify and be in good standing would not result in a Material Adverse Change (as such term is defined herein).
(i) Subsidiaries. Each “significant subsidiary” (as such term is defined in Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X) of the Company (each, a “Subsidiary” and together, the “Subsidiaries”) has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation, has corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and is duly qualified as a foreign corporation to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing
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of property or the conduct of business, except where the failure to so qualify or to be in good standing would not result in a Material Adverse Change; except as otherwise disclosed in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, all of the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock owned directly or indirectly by the Company of each such Subsidiary have been duly authorized and validly issued, are fully paid and non-assessable and are owned by the Company, directly or through subsidiaries, free and clear of any security interest, mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance, claim or equity; and none of the outstanding shares of capital stock of any of the Subsidiaries was issued in violation of the preemptive or other similar rights of any securityholder of such Subsidiary. The Company has no significant subsidiaries other than Evergy Kansas Central, Inc., Evergy Kansas South, Inc., Evergy Metro, Inc. and Evergy Missouri West, Inc.
(j) Capitalization. The authorized, issued and outstanding capital stock of the Company is as set forth in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. The shares of issued and outstanding capital stock of the Company have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable; none of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company was issued in violation of the preemptive or other similar rights of any securityholder of the Company.
(k) Accountants. Deloitte & Touche LLP, independent public or certified public accountants for the Company and the Subsidiaries (“D&T”) who issued their reports on the consolidated financial statements of the Company included in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, are an independent registered public accounting firm with respect to the Company, as required by the Securities Act, the Exchange Act and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States).
(l) Financial Statements. The consolidated financial statements and any supporting schedules of the Company included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company as of the dates indicated and the results of its operations and cash flows for the periods specified; except as stated therein, such financial statements have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (“GAAP”) applied on a consistent basis; and any such supporting schedules included in the Registration Statement present fairly, in all material respects, the information required to be stated therein. The selected financial data and the summary financial information included or incorporated by reference in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus present fairly, in accordance with GAAP, the information shown therein and have been compiled on a basis consistent with that of the audited consolidated financial statements of the Company included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
(m) Authorization of the Underwriting Agreement. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.
(n) Authorization of the Indenture. The Indenture has been duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act and has been duly authorized; the Base Indenture has been and, at the Closing Date, the Supplemental Indenture will be duly executed and delivered by the Company; and each of the Base Indenture constitutes and, at the Closing Date, the Indenture will constitute a valid and binding obligation of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except as the enforcement thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar laws relating to or affecting enforcement of creditors’ rights generally and except as enforcement thereof is subject to general principles of equity (regardless of whether enforcement is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law).
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(o) Accurate Tax Disclosure. The factual statements set forth in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the caption “Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations” are accurate in all material respects and fairly present the information provided.
(p) Authorization of the Notes. The Notes are in the form contemplated by the Indenture, have been duly authorized for issuance and sale pursuant to this Agreement and the Indenture and, at the Closing Date, will have been duly executed by the Company and, when authenticated in the manner provided for in the Indenture and delivered against payment of the purchase price therefor, will be validly issued and delivered and will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable in accordance with their terms, except as the enforcement thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar laws relating to or affecting enforcement of creditors’ rights generally and except as enforcement thereof is subject to general principles of equity (regardless of whether enforcement is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law), and will be entitled to the benefits of the Indenture.
(q) Description of the Notes and the Indenture. The Notes and the Indenture conform in all material respects to the descriptions thereof contained in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
(r) Material Changes or Material Transactions. Since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, except as may otherwise be stated therein or contemplated thereby, (i) there has been no material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business (any such change described in this clause (i), a “Material Adverse Change”), and (ii) there have been no transactions entered into by the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise (other than those in the ordinary course of business) that are material with respect to the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise.
(s) No Defaults. Neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries is in violation of its articles of incorporation, charter or by-laws or other organizational documents. Except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change, neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries is in default in the performance or observance of any obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any contract, indenture, mortgage, loan agreement, note, lease or other instrument to which the Company or any of the Subsidiaries is a party or by which it or any of them may be bound, or to which any of the property or assets of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries is subject (each, an “Agreement or Instrument” and, collectively, the “Agreements and Instruments”). The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement, the Indenture and the Notes and the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein and therein have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action and do not and will not conflict with or constitute a breach of, or default under, or result in
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the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries pursuant to, any material Agreements and Instruments, nor will such action result in any violation of the provisions of the articles of incorporation, charter or by-laws, as they may be then amended or in effect, of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries or any applicable law, administrative regulation or administrative or court order or decree.
(t) Regulatory Approvals. The Company has made all necessary filings and obtained all necessary consents, orders or approvals in connection with the issuance and sale of the Notes or will have done so by the time the Notes shall be issued and sold, and no consent, approval, authorization, order or decree of any other court or governmental agency or body is required for the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, except such as may be required under state securities laws.
(u) Legal Proceedings; Contracts. Except as may be set forth, incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there is no action, suit or proceeding before or by any court or governmental agency or body, domestic or foreign, now pending, or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened against or affecting, the Company or its subsidiaries that would reasonably be expected to result in any Material Adverse Change, or might materially and adversely affect its properties or assets or would reasonably be expected to materially and adversely affect the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement; and there are no contracts or documents that are required to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement by the Securities Act that have not been so filed.
(v) Franchises. The Company and the Subsidiaries hold, to the extent required, valid and subsisting franchises, licenses and permits authorizing them to carry on the regulated utility businesses in which they are engaged in the territories from which substantially all of the Company’s consolidated gross operating revenue is derived, except where the failure to hold such franchises, licenses and permits would not result in a Material Adverse Change.
(w) Environmental Laws. Except as described, incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, and except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change, (i) neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries is in violation of any federal, state, local or foreign statute, law, rule, regulation, ordinance, code, policy or rule of common law or any judicial or administrative interpretation thereof, including any judicial or administrative order, consent, decree or judgment, relating to pollution or protection of human health, the environment (including, without limitation, ambient air, surface water, groundwater, land surface or subsurface strata) or wildlife, including, without limitation, laws and regulations relating to the release or threatened release of chemicals, pollutants, contaminants, wastes, toxic substances, hazardous substances, petroleum or petroleum products, asbestos-containing materials or mold (collectively, “Hazardous Materials”) or to the manufacture, processing, distribution, use, treatment, storage, disposal, transport or handling of Hazardous Materials (collectively, “Environmental Laws”), (ii) the Company and the Subsidiaries have all permits, authorizations and approvals required under any applicable Environmental Laws and are each in compliance with their requirements, (iii) there are no pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened administrative, regulatory or judicial actions, suits, demands, demand letters, claims, liens, notices of noncompliance or violation, investigation or proceedings relating to any Environmental Law against the Company or any of the Subsidiaries and (iv) there are no events or circumstances that would reasonably be expected to form the basis of an order for clean-up or remediation, or an action, suit or proceeding by any private party or governmental body or agency, against or affecting the Company or any of the Subsidiaries relating to Hazardous Materials or any Environmental Laws.
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(x) Investment Company Act. The Company is not and, upon the issuance and sale of the Notes as contemplated herein and the application of the net proceeds thereof as described in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, will not be, required to register as an “investment company” under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”).
(y) ERISA. The Company and the Subsidiaries are in compliance in all material respects with all presently applicable provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, including the regulations and published interpretations thereunder (“ERISA”); no “reportable event” (as such term is defined in ERISA) has occurred with respect to any “pension plan” (as such term is defined in ERISA) for which the Company or any of the Subsidiaries would have any material liability; the Company and the Subsidiaries have not incurred and do not expect to incur any material liability under (i) Title IV of ERISA with respect to the termination of, or withdrawal from, any “pension plan” or (ii) Section 412 or 4971 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, including the regulations and published interpretations thereunder (the “Code”); and each “pension plan” for which the Company or any of the Subsidiaries would have any liability that is intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code is so qualified in all material respects and nothing has occurred, whether by action or by failure to act, which would cause the loss of such qualification.
(z) Insurance. The Company and each of the Subsidiaries carry, or are covered by, insurance in such amounts and covering such risks as is adequate for the conduct of their respective businesses and the value of their respective properties.
(aa) Taxes. The Company and each of the Subsidiaries have filed all federal, state and local income and franchise tax returns required to be filed through the date hereof and have paid all taxes due thereon, except such as are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings or for which an extension has been requested, and no tax deficiency has been determined adversely to the Company or any of the Subsidiaries that has had, nor does the Company have any knowledge of any tax deficiency that, if determined adversely to the Company or any of the Subsidiaries, would reasonably be expected to result in, a Material Adverse Change.
(bb) Internal Controls. Each of the Company and the Subsidiaries (i) makes and keeps accurate books and records and (ii) maintains internal accounting controls that provide reasonable assurance that (A) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s authorization, (B) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of its financial statements and to maintain accountability for its assets, (C) access to its assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s authorization and (D) the reported accountability for its assets is compared with existing assets at reasonable intervals. Except as described in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, since the end of the Company’s most recent audited fiscal year, there has been (A) no material weakness in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting (whether or not remediated) and (B) no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.
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(cc) Sarbanes-Oxley. The Company is in compliance, in all material respects, with all applicable provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the rules and regulations promulgated in connection therewith, including Section 402 related to loans, and the requirement that the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries maintain the following, among other, controls and procedures: (i) a system of “internal accounting controls” as contemplated in Section 13(b)(2)(B) of the Exchange Act; (ii) “disclosure controls and procedures” (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(e) of the Exchange Act); and (iii) “internal control over financial reporting” (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(f) of the Exchange Act).
(dd) Pending Proceedings and Examinations. The Company has not received notice from the Commission that the Registration Statement is the subject of a pending proceeding or examination under Section 8(d) or 8(e) of the Securities Act, and the Company is not the subject of a pending proceeding under Section 8A of the Securities Act in connection with the offering of the Notes.
(ee) Ratings. The Notes will be rated as described in the Final Term Sheet.
(ff) Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. None of the Company, any of the Subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee, affiliate or other person associated with or acting on behalf of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries has (i) made any unlawful contribution, gift, entertainment or other unlawful expense relating to political activity, (ii) made any direct or indirect unlawful payment to any foreign or domestic government official or employee from corporate funds, (iii) violated or is in violation of any provision of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, or any other applicable anti-corruption statute or regulation, (iv) violated or is in violation of any provision of the Bribery Act 2010 of the United Kingdom or any other applicable anti-bribery statute or regulation or (v) made any bribe, rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback or other unlawful payment; and the Company and the Subsidiaries and, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee, affiliate or other person associated with or acting on behalf of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries have (A) conducted their respective businesses in compliance with the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, the Bribery Act 2010 of the United Kingdom and all other applicable anti-corruption and anti-bribery statutes or regulations and (B) instituted and maintain policies and procedures designed to ensure, and that are reasonably expected to ensure, continued compliance therewith.
(gg) Money Laundering Laws. The operations of the Company and the Subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with the requirements of applicable anti-money laundering laws, including, without limitation, the Bank Secrecy Act of 1970, as amended by the USA PATRIOT ACT of 2001, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder and the anti-money laundering laws of the various jurisdictions in which the Company and its subsidiaries conduct business (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”), and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of the Subsidiaries or, to the knowledge of the Company, any of its other subsidiaries with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or threatened.
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(hh) OFAC. None of the Company, any of the Subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee or affiliate of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries is (i) currently the subject or the target of any sanctions administered or enforced by the U.S. Government, including, without limitation, the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury, or other relevant sanctions authority (collectively, “Sanctions”), or (ii) located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is the subject or target of Sanctions (including, without limitation, the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic or Luhansk People’s Republic or any other Covered Region of Ukraine identified pursuant to the President’s Executive Order 14065 (February 21, 2022), the Crimea region and the non-government controlled areas of the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson Regions of Ukraine, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Syria (prior to July 1, 2025) and Russia); the Company will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the offering of the Notes hereunder, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any of the Subsidiaries, joint venture partner or other person or entity (A) to fund or facilitate any activities of or business with any person, or in any country or territory, that, at the time of such funding, is the subject or the target of Sanctions or (B) in any other manner that will result in a violation by any person (including any person participating in the transaction, whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise) of Sanctions; and the Company and the Subsidiaries have not knowingly engaged in for the past ten years, are not now knowingly engaged in and will not engage in any dealings or transactions with any individual or entity, or in any country or territory, that at the time of the dealing or transaction is or was the subject or target of Sanctions.
(ii) eXtensible Business Reporting Language. The interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus fairly presents the information called for in all material respects and has been prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines applicable thereto.
(jj) Cybersecurity. (i) (A) Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there has been no security breach or other compromise of or relating to any of the Company’s or any of the Subsidiaries’ information technology and computer systems, networks, hardware, software, data (including the data of their respective customers, employees, suppliers, vendors and any third party data maintained by or on behalf of them), equipment or technology (collectively, “IT Systems and Data”) and (B) the Company and the Subsidiaries have not been notified of, and have no knowledge of any event or condition that would reasonably be expected to result in, any security breach or other compromise to their IT Systems and Data, except as would not, in the case of this clause (i), reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change; (ii) the Company and the Subsidiaries are presently in compliance with all applicable laws or statutes and all judgments, orders, rules and regulations of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, internal policies and contractual obligations relating to the privacy and security of their IT Systems and Data and to the protection of such IT Systems and Data from unauthorized use, access, misappropriation or modification, except as would not, in the case of this clause (ii), individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change; and (iii) the Company and the Subsidiaries have implemented backup and disaster recovery technology reasonably consistent with industry standards and practices.
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Any certificate signed by any director or officer of the Company and delivered to the Underwriters or to counsel for the Underwriters shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company to the Underwriters as to the matters covered thereby on the date of such certificate and, unless subsequently amended or supplemented, at each Representation Date subsequent thereto.
Section 2. Purchase, Sale and Delivery of the Notes.
(a) The Notes. The Company agrees to issue and sell to the several Underwriters, severally and not jointly, all of the Notes upon the terms herein set forth. On the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements herein contained, and upon the terms but subject to the conditions herein set forth, the Underwriters agree, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company the aggregate principal amount of Notes set forth opposite their names on Schedule A hereto, plus any additional principal amount of Notes that such Underwriter may become obligated to purchase pursuant to Section 9 hereof, at a purchase price of 99.000% of the principal amount of the Notes.
(b) The Closing Date. Delivery of one or more certificates for the Notes in global form to be purchased by the Underwriters and payment therefor shall be made at the offices of Bracewell LLP, 31 West 52nd Street, New York, New York 10019 (or such other place as may be agreed to by the Company and the Representatives) at 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on August 24, 2026, or such other time and date as the Underwriters and the Company shall mutually agree (the time and date of such closing are called the “Closing Date”).
(c) Public Offering of the Notes. The Representatives hereby advise the Company that the Underwriters intend to offer for sale to the public, as described in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, their respective portions of the Notes as soon after this Agreement has been executed as the Representatives, in their sole judgment, have determined is advisable and practicable.
(d) Payment for the Notes. Payment for the Notes shall be made at the Closing Date by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the order of the Company. It is understood that the Representatives have been authorized, for their own accounts and for the accounts of the several Underwriters, to accept delivery of and receipt for, and make payment of the purchase price for, the Notes that the Underwriters have agreed to purchase. The Representatives may (but shall not be obligated to) make payment for any Notes to be purchased by any Underwriter whose funds shall not have been received by the Representatives by the Closing Date for the account of such Underwriter, but any such payment shall not relieve such Underwriter from any of its obligations under this Agreement.
(e) Delivery of the Notes. The Company shall deliver, or cause to be delivered, to the Representatives for the accounts of the several Underwriters through the facilities of the Depositary one or more certificates for the Notes at the Closing Date, against the irrevocable release of a wire transfer of immediately available funds for the amount of the purchase price therefor. Any such certificate shall be a definitive global certificate in book-entry form for clearance through the Depositary. Time shall be of the essence, and delivery at the time and place specified in this Agreement is a further condition to the obligations of the Underwriters.
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Section 3. Covenants of the Company
The Company covenants and agrees with each Underwriter as follows:
(a) Compliance with Securities Regulations and Commission Requests. The Company, subject to Section 3(b) hereof, will comply with the requirements of Rule 430B, and will promptly notify the Representatives, and confirm the notice in writing, of (i) the effectiveness during the Prospectus Delivery Period (as such term is defined herein) of any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement or the filing of any supplement or amendment to any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, (ii) the receipt of any comments from the Commission during the Prospectus Delivery Period, (iii) any request by the Commission for any amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or for additional information, and (iv) the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, or of the suspension of the qualification of the Notes for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, or of the initiation or threatening of any proceedings for any of such purposes. The Company will promptly effect the filings necessary pursuant to Rule 424(b) and will take such steps as it deems necessary to ascertain promptly whether any Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus transmitted for filing under Rule 424(b) was received for filing by the Commission and, in the event that it was not, it will promptly file such document. The Company will use every reasonable effort to prevent the issuance of any stop order and, if any stop order is issued, to obtain the lifting thereof at the earliest possible moment.
(b) Representatives’ Review of Proposed Amendments and Supplements. During the period beginning on the date of this Agreement and ending on the later of the Closing Date or such date, as in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters, a prospectus relating to the Notes is no longer required by law to be delivered in connection with sales of the Notes by an Underwriter or dealer, including in circumstances where such requirement may be satisfied pursuant to Rule 172 of the Securities Act (the “Prospectus Delivery Period”), prior to amending or supplementing the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (including any amendment or supplement through incorporation by reference of any report filed under the Exchange Act), the Company shall furnish, within a reasonable time prior to filing such amendment or supplement, to the Representatives for review a copy of each such proposed amendment or supplement, and the Company shall not file or use any such proposed amendment or supplement (except for any amendment or supplement filed under the Exchange Act after the Closing Date) to which the Representatives or counsel for the Underwriters shall reasonably object.
(c) Delivery of Registration Statements. If requested, the Company will furnish or deliver to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters, without charge, copies of the Registration Statement as originally filed and of each amendment thereto (including exhibits filed therewith or incorporated by reference therein and documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein) and copies of all consents and certificates of experts, and will also deliver to the Representatives, without charge, a conformed copy of the Registration Statement as originally filed and of each amendment thereto (without exhibits) for each of the Underwriters. The Registration Statement and each amendment thereto furnished to the Underwriters will be identical to any electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.
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(d) Delivery of Prospectuses. The Company will deliver to each Underwriter, without charge, as many copies of each Preliminary Prospectus as such Underwriter may reasonably request, and the Company hereby consents to the use of such copies for purposes permitted by the Securities Act. The Company will furnish to each Underwriter, without charge, during the Prospectus Delivery Period, such number of copies of the Prospectus as such Underwriter may reasonably request. Each Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto furnished to the Underwriters will be identical to any electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by the Commission’s Regulation S-T.
(e) Continued Compliance with Securities Laws. The Company will comply with the Securities Act and the Exchange Act so as to permit the completion of the distribution of the Notes as contemplated in this Agreement and the Prospectus. If, at any time during the Prospectus Delivery Period, any event shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which it is necessary to amend the Registration Statement in order that the Registration Statement will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or to amend or supplement the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus in order that the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, as the case may be, will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing at the Initial Sale Time or at the time it is delivered or conveyed to a purchaser, not misleading, or if it shall be necessary at any such time to amend the Registration Statement or amend or supplement the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus in order to comply with the requirements of the Securities Act, the Company will (i) notify the Representatives of any such event, development or condition, (ii) promptly prepare and file with the Commission, subject to Section 3(b) hereof, such amendment or supplement (including by filing under the Exchange Act any document incorporated by reference in the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus) as may be necessary to correct such statement or omission or to make the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus comply with such requirements and (iii) the Company will furnish to the Underwriters, without charge, such number of copies of such amendment or supplement to the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus as the Underwriters may reasonably request.
(f) Blue Sky Compliance. The Company shall cooperate with the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters to qualify or register the Notes for sale under (or obtain exemptions from the application of) the state securities or blue sky laws of those jurisdictions designated by the Representatives, shall comply with such laws and shall continue such qualifications, registrations and exemptions in effect so long as required for the distribution of the Notes. The Company shall not be required to qualify to transact business or to take any action that would subject it to general service of process in any such jurisdiction where it is not presently qualified or where it would be subject to taxation as a foreign business. The Company shall advise the Representatives promptly of the suspension of the qualification or registration of (or any such exemption relating to) the Notes for offering, sale or trading in any jurisdiction or any initiation or threat of any proceeding for any such purpose, and in the event of the issuance of any order suspending such qualification, registration or exemption, the Company shall use every reasonable effort to obtain the withdrawal thereof at the earliest possible moment.
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(g) Use of Proceeds. The Company shall apply the net proceeds from the sale of the Notes sold by it in the manner described under the caption “Use of Proceeds” in each of the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
(h) Depositary. The Company shall cooperate with the Underwriters and use every reasonable effort to permit the Notes to be eligible for clearance and settlement through the facilities of the Depositary.
(i) Periodic Reporting Obligations. During the Prospectus Delivery Period and subject to Section 3(b) hereof, the Company shall file, on a timely basis, with the Commission all reports and documents required to be filed under the Exchange Act.
(j) Agreement Not to Offer or Sell Additional Securities. During the period commencing on the date hereof and ending on the Closing Date, the Company will not, without the prior written consent of the Representatives (which consent may be withheld at the sole discretion of the Representatives), directly or indirectly, sell, offer, contract or grant any option to sell, transfer or establish an open “put equivalent position” within the meaning of Rule 16a-1(h) of the Exchange Act, or otherwise dispose of or transfer, or announce the offering of, or file any registration statement under the Securities Act in respect of, any debt securities of the Company similar to the Notes or securities exchangeable for or convertible into debt securities similar to the Notes, other than as contemplated by this Agreement with respect to the Notes.
(k) Final Term Sheet. The Company shall prepare a final term sheet containing only a description of the Notes, in substantially the form previously agreed to by the Company and the Representatives, and will file such term sheet pursuant to Rule 433(d) within the time required by Rule 433 (such term sheet, the “Final Term Sheet”). The Final Term Sheet is an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus for purposes of this Agreement.
(l) Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses. The Company represents that it has not made, and agrees that, unless it obtains the prior written consent of the Representatives, and each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, represents that it has not made, and agrees with the Company that, unless it obtains the prior written consent of the Company, it will not make, any offer relating to the Notes that would constitute an “issuer free writing prospectus” or that would otherwise constitute a “free writing prospectus” (as such terms are defined in Rule 405) required to be filed by the Company with the Commission or retained by the Company under Rule 433; provided that the prior written consent of the Representatives shall be deemed to have been given in respect of the Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectuses and the Issuer Limited Use Free Writing Prospectuses identified in Annex I hereto. Any such free writing prospectus consented to by the Representatives is hereinafter referred to as a “Permitted Free Writing Prospectus.” The Company agrees that it has (i) treated and will treat, as the case may be, each Permitted Free Writing Prospectus as an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and (ii) complied and will comply, as the case may be, with the requirements of Rules 164 and 433 of the Securities Act applicable to any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, including in respect of timely filing with the Commission, legending and record keeping.
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(m) Notice of Inability to Use Automatic Shelf Registration Statement Form. If at any time during the Prospectus Delivery Period the Company receives from the Commission a notice pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) or otherwise ceases to be eligible to use the automatic shelf registration statement form, the Company will (i) promptly notify the Representatives, (ii) promptly file a new registration statement or post-effective amendment on the proper form relating to the Notes, in a form satisfactory to the Representatives, (iii) use its best efforts to cause such registration statement or post-effective amendment to be declared effective and (iv) promptly notify the Representatives of such effectiveness. The Company will take all other action necessary or appropriate to permit the public offering and sale of the Notes to continue as contemplated in the registration statement that was the subject of the Rule 401(g)(2) notice or for which the Company has otherwise become ineligible. References herein to the Registration Statement shall include such new registration statement or post-effective amendment, as the case may be.
(n) Registration Statement Renewal Deadline. If immediately prior to the third anniversary (the “Renewal Deadline”) of the initial effective date of the Registration Statement, any of the Notes remain unsold by the Underwriters, the Company will prior to the Renewal Deadline file, if it has not already done so and is eligible to do so, a new automatic shelf registration statement relating to the Notes, in a form satisfactory to the Representatives. If the Company is no longer eligible to file an automatic shelf registration statement, the Company will prior to the Renewal Deadline, if it has not already done so, file a new shelf registration statement relating to the Notes, in a form satisfactory to the Representatives, and will use its best efforts to cause such registration statement to be declared effective within 60 days after the Renewal Deadline. The Company will take all other action necessary or appropriate to permit the public offering and sale of the Notes to continue as contemplated in the expired registration statement relating to the Notes. References herein to the Registration Statement shall include such new automatic shelf registration statement or such new shelf registration statement, as the case may be.
(o) Filing Fees. The Company agrees to pay the required Commission filing fees relating to the Notes within the time required by Rule 456(b)(1) of the Securities Act without regard to the proviso therein and otherwise in accordance with Rules 456(b) and 457(r) of the Securities Act.
(p) No Manipulation of Price. The Company shall not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to cause or result in, or that has constituted or might reasonably be expected to constitute, under the Exchange Act or otherwise, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any securities of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Notes.
(q) Earning Statement. The Company will make generally available to the Company’s security holders and to the Representatives as soon as practicable an earning statement covering a period of at least twelve months beginning with the first fiscal quarter of the Company occurring after the date of this Agreement that will satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act.
The Representatives, on behalf of the several Underwriters, may, in their sole discretion, waive in writing the performance by the Company of any one or more of the foregoing covenants or extend the time for their performance.
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Section 4. Payment of Expenses. The Company agrees to pay all costs, fees and expenses incurred in connection with the performance of its obligations hereunder and in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby, including, without limitation, (i) all expenses incident to the issuance and delivery of the Notes (including all printing and engraving costs), (ii) all necessary issue, transfer and other stamp taxes in connection with the issuance and sale of the Notes to the Underwriters, (iii) all fees and expenses of the Company’s counsel, independent public or certified public accountants and other advisors to the Company, (iv) all costs and expenses incurred in connection with the preparation, printing, filing, shipping and distribution of the Registration Statement (including financial statements, exhibits, schedules, consents and certificates of experts), each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, each Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus, and all amendments and supplements thereto, and this Agreement, the Indenture, the DTC Agreement and the Notes, (v) all filing fees, reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses incurred by the Company or the Underwriters in connection with qualifying or registering (or obtaining exemptions from the qualification or registration of) all or any part of the Notes for offer and sale under the state securities or blue sky laws, and, if requested by the Representatives, preparing a “Blue Sky Survey” or memorandum, and any supplements thereto, advising the Underwriters of such qualifications, registrations and exemptions, (vi) the filing fees incident to, and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel to the Underwriters in connection with, the review, if any, by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”) of the terms of the sale of the Notes, (vii) the fees and expenses of the Trustee, including the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Trustee in connection with the Indenture and the Notes, (viii) any fees payable in connection with the rating of the Notes with the rating agencies, (ix) all fees and expenses (including reasonable fees and expenses of counsel) of the Company in connection with approval of the Notes by the Depositary for “book-entry” transfer, (x) all other fees, costs and expenses referred to in Item 14 of Part II of the Registration Statement, (xi) all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Representatives with respect to any road show, including expenses relating to slide production, internet road show taping and travel, and (xii) all other fees, costs and expenses incurred in connection with the performance of its obligations hereunder for which provision is not otherwise made in this Section 4. Except as provided in this Section 4, and in Section 6, Section 7 and Section 8 hereof, the Underwriters shall pay their own expenses, including the fees and disbursements of their counsel.
Section 5. Conditions of the Obligations of the Underwriters. The obligations of the several Underwriters to purchase and pay for the Notes as provided herein on the Closing Date shall be subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties on the part of the Company set forth in Section 1 hereof as of each Representation Date as though then made and to the timely performance by the Company of its covenants and other obligations hereunder, and to each of the following additional conditions:
(a) Effectiveness of Registration Statement. The Registration Statement shall remain effective under the Securities Act and no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall have been issued under the Securities Act and no proceedings for that purpose shall have been instituted or be pending or threatened by the Commission, any request on the part of the Commission for additional information shall have been complied with to the reasonable satisfaction of counsel to the Underwriters and the Company shall not have received from the Commission any notice pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) objecting to use of the automatic shelf registration statement form.
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(b) Filings under Rule 424(b) and Rule 433. For the period from the Execution Time to the Closing Date:
(i) the Company shall have filed any Preliminary Prospectus not previously filed and the Prospectus with the Commission (including the information required by Rule 430B) in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b) (or the Company shall have filed a post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement containing the information required by Rule 430B, and such post-effective amendment shall have become effective); and
(ii) the Final Term Sheet and any other material required to be filed by the Company pursuant to Rule 433(d) shall have been filed with the Commission within the applicable time periods prescribed for such filings under Rule 433.
(c) Accountants’ Comfort Letter. On the date hereof, the Representatives shall have received a letter dated the date hereof from D&T addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives with respect to the audited and unaudited consolidated financial statements and certain financial information of the Company included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus.
(d) Bring-down Comfort Letter. On the Closing Date, the Representatives shall have received a letter dated the Closing Date from D&T addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives, to the effect that they reaffirm the statements made in the letter furnished by D&T pursuant to Section 5(c) hereof, except that the specified date referred to therein for the carrying out of procedures shall be no more than two business days prior to the Closing Date and in any case no earlier than the date hereof.
(e) No Material Adverse Change or Ratings Agency Change. For the period from the Execution Time to the Closing Date: in the judgment of the Representatives, there shall not have occurred any Material Adverse Change, except as reflected in or contemplated by the Disclosure Package; and there shall not have occurred any downgrading, nor shall any notice have been given of any intended or potential downgrading or of any review for a possible change that does not indicate the direction of the possible change, in the rating accorded any securities of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” (as such term is defined in Section 3(a)(62) of the Exchange Act).
(f) Opinion of Counsel for the Company. On the Closing Date, the Representatives shall have received the favorable opinions of (i) Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP, counsel for the Company, dated the Closing Date, the form of which is attached as Exhibit A-1 hereto, and (ii) Heather A. Humphrey, Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary of the Company, dated the Closing Date, the form of which is attached as Exhibit A-2 hereto.
(g) Opinion of Counsel for the Underwriters. On the Closing Date, the Representatives shall have received the favorable opinion of Bracewell LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, dated the Closing Date, with respect to such matters as may be reasonably requested by the Underwriters.
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(h) Officers’ Certificate. On the Closing Date, the Representatives shall have received a written certificate executed by the Chief Executive Officer, President or a Vice President of the Company and the Chief Financial Officer, Chief Accounting Officer, Treasurer or Assistant Treasurer of the Company, dated the Closing Date, to the effect that, to the best of their knowledge after reasonable investigation:
(i) the Company has received no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, and no proceedings for such purpose have been instituted or threatened by the Commission;
(ii) the Company has not received from the Commission any notice pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) objecting to use of the automatic shelf registration statement form;
(iii) for the period from the Execution Time to the Closing Date, there has not occurred any downgrading, and the Company has not received any notice of any intended or potential downgrading or of any review for a possible change that does not indicate the direction of the possible change, in the rating accorded any securities of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” (as such term is defined in Section 3(a)(62) of the Exchange Act);
(iv) for the period from the Execution Time to the Closing Date, there has not occurred any Material Adverse Change;
(v) the representations and warranties of the Company set forth in Section 1 hereof are true and correct with the same force and effect as though expressly made on and as of the Closing Date; and
(vi) the Company has complied with all the agreements hereunder and satisfied all the conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to the Closing Date.
(i) Additional Documents. On or before the Closing Date, the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters shall have received such information, documents and opinions as they may reasonably require for the purposes of enabling such counsel to pass upon the issuance and sale of the Notes as contemplated herein, or in order to evidence the accuracy of any of the representations and warranties, or the satisfaction of any of the conditions or agreements, herein contained.
If any condition specified in this Section 5 is not satisfied when and as required to be satisfied, this Agreement may be terminated by the Representatives by notice to the Company at any time on or prior to the Closing Date, which termination shall be without liability on the part of any party to any other party, except that Section 4, Section 6, Section 7, Section 8 and Section 16 hereof shall at all times be effective and shall survive such termination.
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Section 6. Reimbursement of Underwriters’ Expenses. If this Agreement is terminated by the Representatives pursuant to Section 5, Section 10(i) or Section 10(iv) hereof, the Company agrees to reimburse the Representatives and the other Underwriters, severally, upon demand for all out-of-pocket expenses that shall have been reasonably incurred by the Representatives and the Underwriters in connection with the proposed purchase and the offering and sale of the Notes, including, without limitation, fees and disbursements of counsel, printing expenses, travel expenses, postage, facsimile and telephone charges.
Section 7. Indemnification.
(a) Indemnification of the Underwriters. The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its directors, officers, employees and agents, and each other person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act against any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense, as incurred, to which such Underwriter, director, officer, employee, agent or controlling person may become subject, insofar as such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense (or actions in respect thereof as contemplated below) arises out of or is based upon (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, or any amendment or supplement thereto, including any information deemed to be a part thereof pursuant to Rule 430B, or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or (ii) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact included in any Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and to reimburse each Underwriter, its officers, directors, employees, agents and controlling persons for any and all expenses (including the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel chosen by the Representatives) as such expenses are reasonably incurred by such Underwriter, officer, director, employee, agent or controlling person in connection with investigating, defending, settling, compromising or paying any such loss, claim, damage, liability, expense or action; provided, however, that the foregoing indemnity agreement shall not apply to any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense to the extent, but only to the extent, arising out of or based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by any Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), it being understood and agreed that the only such information consists of the information described in Section 7(b) hereof. The indemnity agreement set forth in this Section 7(a) shall be in addition to any liabilities that the Company may otherwise have.
(b) Indemnification of the Company, its Directors and Officers. Each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors, its officers who signed the Registration Statement and each other person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, against any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense, as incurred, to which the Company, or any such director, officer or controlling person may become subject, insofar as such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense (or actions in respect thereof as contemplated below) arises out of or is based upon (i) any
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untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or (ii) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, in each case to the extent, and only to the extent, that such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was made in the Registration Statement, such Preliminary Prospectus, such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by any Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use therein; and to reimburse the Company, such director, officer or controlling person for any and all expenses (including the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel chosen by the Company) as such expenses are reasonably incurred by the Company, such director, officer or controlling person in connection with investigating, defending, settling, compromising or paying any such loss, claim, damage, liability, expense or action. The Company hereby acknowledges that the only information that the Underwriters have furnished to the Company in writing expressly for use in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) are the statements set forth in the third paragraph, the third sentence of the seventh paragraph and the eighth paragraph, each under the caption “Underwriting (Conflicts of Interest)” in the Prospectus. The indemnity agreement set forth in this Section 7(b) shall be in addition to any liabilities that each Underwriter may otherwise have.
(c) Notifications and Other Indemnification Procedures. Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section 7 of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against an indemnifying party under this Section 7, notify such indemnifying party in writing of the commencement thereof; but the failure to so notify such indemnifying party (i) will not relieve it from liability under Section 7(a) or 7(b) hereof unless and to the extent it did not otherwise learn of such action and such failure results in the forfeiture by such indemnifying party of substantial rights and defenses and (ii) will not, in any event, relieve such indemnifying party from any liability other than the indemnification obligation provided in Section 7(a) or 7(b) hereof. In case any such action is brought against any indemnified party and such indemnified party seeks or intends to seek indemnity from an indemnifying party, such indemnifying party will be entitled to participate in, and, to the extent that it shall elect, jointly with all other indemnifying parties similarly notified, by written notice delivered to such indemnified party promptly after receiving the aforesaid notice from such indemnified party, to assume the defense thereof with counsel satisfactory to such indemnified party; provided, however, such indemnified party shall have the right to employ its own counsel in any such action and to participate in the defense thereof, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such indemnified party, unless (A) the employment of such counsel has been specifically authorized by such indemnifying party, (B) such indemnifying party has failed promptly to assume the defense and employ counsel reasonably satisfactory to such indemnified party or (C) the named parties to any such action (including any impleaded parties) include both such indemnified party and such indemnifying party or any affiliate of such indemnifying party, and such indemnified party shall have reasonably concluded that either
21
(x) there may be one or more legal defenses available to it that are different from or additional to those available to such indemnifying party or such affiliate of such indemnifying party or (y) a conflict may exist between such indemnified party and such indemnifying party or such affiliate of such indemnifying party (it being understood, however, that such indemnifying party shall not, in connection with any one such action or separate but substantially similar or related actions in the same jurisdiction arising out of the same general allegations or circumstances, be liable for the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm of attorneys (in addition to a single firm of local counsel) for all such indemnified parties, which firm shall be designated in writing by, in the case of indemnification pursuant to Section 7(a) hereof, the Representatives, and, in the case of indemnification pursuant to Section 7(b) hereof, the Company, and that all such reasonable fees and expenses shall be reimbursed as they are incurred).
(d) Settlements. An indemnifying party under this Section 7 shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent, but if settled with such consent or if there is a final judgment for the plaintiff, such indemnifying party agrees to indemnify any indemnified party therein against any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense by reason of such settlement or judgment. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse such indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by Section 7(c) hereof, such indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 45 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request, (ii) such indemnifying party shall have received notice of the terms of such settlement at least 30 days prior to such settlement being entered into and (iii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed such indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of any indemnified party, effect any settlement, compromise or consent to the entry of judgment in any pending or threatened action, suit or proceeding in respect of which such indemnified party is or could have been a party and indemnity was or could have been sought hereunder by such indemnified party, unless such settlement, compromise or consent (A) includes an unconditional release of such indemnified party from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such action, suit or proceeding and (B) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act, by or on behalf of such indemnified party.
Section 8. Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in Section 7 hereof is for any reason unavailable to or otherwise insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party in respect of any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the aggregate amount paid or payable by such indemnified party, as incurred, as a result of any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses referred to therein (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, from the offering of the Notes pursuant to this Agreement or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, in connection with the statements or omissions that resulted in such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, in connection with the offering of the Notes pursuant to this Agreement shall be deemed to be in the
22
same respective proportions as the total net proceeds from the offering of the Notes pursuant to this Agreement (before deducting expenses) received by the Company, and the total underwriting discount received by the Underwriters, in each case as set forth on the front cover page of the Prospectus bear to the aggregate initial public offering price of the Notes as set forth on such cover. The relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any such untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company, on the one hand, or the Underwriters, on the other hand, and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.
The amount paid or payable by a party as a result of the losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses referred to above shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth in Section 7(c) hereof, any legal or other fees or expenses reasonably incurred by such party in connection with investigating or defending any action or claim. The provisions set forth in Section 7(c) hereof with respect to notice of commencement of any action shall apply if a claim for contribution is to be made under this Section 8; provided, however, that no additional notice shall be required with respect to any action for which notice has been given under Section 7(c) hereof for purposes of indemnification.
The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 8 were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in this Section 8.
Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 8, no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the underwriting discount received by such Underwriter in connection with the Notes underwritten by it and distributed to the public. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Underwriters’ obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 8 are several, and not joint, in proportion to their respective underwriting commitments as set forth opposite their names in Schedule A hereto. For purposes of this Section 8, each director, officer, employee and agent of an Underwriter and each person, if any, who controls an Underwriter within the meaning of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act shall have the same rights to contribution as such Underwriter, and each director of the Company, each officer of the Company who signed the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company.
Section 9. Default of One or More of the Several Underwriters. If, on the Closing Date, any one or more of the several Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase Notes that it or they have agreed to purchase hereunder on such date (the “Defaulted Securities”), then the Representatives shall have the right, within 36 hours thereafter, to make arrangements for one or more of the non-defaulting Underwriters, or any other underwriters, to purchase all, but not less than all, of the aggregate principal amount of the Defaulted Securities in such amounts as may be agreed upon and upon the terms herein set forth.
23
If, however, the Underwriters shall not have completed such arrangements within such 36-hour period, and if the aggregate principal amount of the Defaulted Securities does not exceed 10% of the aggregate principal amount of Notes to be purchased on such date, the non-defaulting Underwriters shall be obligated, severally, in the proportion to the aggregate principal amount of the Notes set forth opposite their respective names on Schedule A hereto bears to the aggregate principal amount of such Notes set forth opposite the names of all such non-defaulting Underwriters, or in such other proportions as may be specified by the Representatives with the consent of the non-defaulting Underwriters, to purchase such Notes that such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed or refused to purchase on such date.
If, on the Closing Date, any one or more of the Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase such Notes and the aggregate principal amount of such Notes with respect to which such default occurs exceeds 10% of the aggregate principal amount of Notes to be purchased on such date, and arrangements satisfactory to the Representatives and the Company for the purchase of such Notes are not made within 48 hours after such default, this Agreement shall terminate without liability of any party to any other party except that the provisions of Section 4, Section 7, Section 8 and Section 16 hereof shall at all times be effective and shall survive such termination.
In any such case, either the Representatives or the Company shall have the right to postpone the Closing Date, but in no event for longer than seven days in order that the required changes, if any, to the Registration Statement, each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, each Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or any other documents or arrangements may be effected.
As used in this Agreement, the term “Underwriter” shall be deemed to include any person substituted for a defaulting Underwriter under this Section 9. Any action taken under this Section 9 shall not relieve any defaulting Underwriter from liability in respect of any default of such Underwriter under this Agreement.
Section 10. Termination of this Agreement. Prior to the Closing Date, this Agreement may be terminated by the Representatives by notice given to the Company if at any time: (i) trading or quotation in any of the Company’s securities shall have been suspended or materially limited by the New York Stock Exchange or the Commission, or trading in securities generally on the NASDAQ Global Market or the New York Stock Exchange shall have been suspended or materially limited, or minimum or maximum prices shall have been generally established on either of such stock exchanges by the Commission or FINRA; (ii) a general banking moratorium shall have been declared by any federal or New York authorities; (iii) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of national or international hostilities or any crisis or calamity, or any material adverse change in the United States or international financial markets, or any change or development involving a prospective substantial change in United States’ or international political, financial or economic conditions, as in the judgment of the Representatives makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offering, sale or delivery of the Notes in the manner and on the terms described in the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or to enforce contracts for the sale of securities; (iv) in the judgment of the Representatives, there shall have occurred any Material Adverse Change; or (v) there shall have occurred a material disruption in commercial banking or securities settlement or clearance services in the United States. Any termination pursuant to this Section 10 shall be without liability on the part of (A) the Company to any Underwriter, except that the Company shall be obligated to reimburse the expenses of the Representatives and the Underwriters pursuant to Section 4 and Section 6 hereof, (B) any Underwriter to the Company or (C) any party hereto to any other party except that the provisions of Section 7, Section 8 and Section 16 hereof shall at all times be effective and shall survive such termination.
24
Section 11. No Fiduciary Duty; No Advisory or Fiduciary Responsibility. The Company acknowledges and agrees that: (i) the purchase and sale of the Notes pursuant to this Agreement, including the determination of the public offering price of the Notes and any related discounts and commissions, is an arm’s-length commercial transaction between the Company, on the one hand, and the several Underwriters, on the other hand; (ii) in connection with the offering contemplated hereby and the process leading to such transaction each Underwriter is and has been acting solely as a principal and is not the financial advisor, agent or fiduciary of the Company or its affiliates, stockholders, creditors or employees or any other party; (iii) no Underwriter has assumed or will assume an advisory, agency or fiduciary responsibility in favor of the Company with respect to the offering contemplated hereby or the process leading thereto (irrespective of whether such Underwriter has advised or is currently advising the Company on other matters) and no Underwriter has any obligation to the Company with respect to the offering contemplated hereby except the obligations expressly set forth in this Agreement; (iv) the several Underwriters and their respective affiliates may be engaged in a broad range of transactions that involve interests that differ from those of the Company; and (v) the Underwriters have not provided any legal, accounting, regulatory or tax advice with respect to the offering contemplated hereby and the Company has consulted its own legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it deemed appropriate.
The Company hereby waives and releases, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any claims that the Company may have against the several Underwriters with respect to any breach or alleged breach of agency or fiduciary duty.
Section 12. Representations and Indemnities to Survive Delivery. The respective indemnities, agreements, representations, warranties and other statements of the Company, of its officers and of the several Underwriters set forth in or made pursuant to this Agreement (i) will remain operative and in full force and effect, regardless of (A) any investigation, or statement as to the results thereof, made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or the Company or any of the officers, directors, employees, agents or controlling persons referred to in Section 7(a) or Section 7(b) hereof, as the case may be or (B) acceptance of the Notes and payment for them hereunder and (ii) will survive delivery of and payment for the Notes sold hereunder and any termination of this Agreement.
Section 13. Notices. All communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be delivered by mail, hand or electronic means as follows:
If to the Representatives:
BofA Securities, Inc.
114 West 47th Street
NY8-114-07-01
New York, New York 10036
Attention: High Grade Transaction Management/Legal
Facsimile: (212) 901-7881
25
and
Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC
200 West Street
New York, New York 10282
Email: registration-syndops@ny.email.gs.com
Attention: Registration Department
and
Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC
1585 Broadway, 29th Floor
New York, New York 10036
Attention: Investment Banking Division
and
MUFG Securities Americas Inc.
1221 Avenue of the Americas
New York, New York 10020
Facsimile: (646) 434-3455
Attention: Capital Markets Group
and
Wells Fargo Securities, LLC
550 South Tryon Street, 5th Floor
Charlotte, North Carolina 28202
Attention: Transaction Management
E-mail: tmgcapitalmarkets@wellsfargo.com
with a copy to:
Bracewell LLP
31 West 52nd Street
New York, New York 10019
Facsimile: (800) 404-3970
Attention: Todd W. Eckland
If to the Company:
Evergy, Inc.
1200 Main Street
Kansas City, Missouri 64105
Facsimile: (816) 556-2924
Attention: Heather A. Humphrey
26
with a copy to:
Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP
200 Park Avenue
New York, New York 10166
Facsimile: (212) 309-1024
Attention: Peter K. O’Brien
Any party hereto may change the address for receipt of communications by giving written notice to the others.
Section 14. Successors. This Agreement will inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto, including any substitute Underwriters pursuant to Section 9 hereof, and to the benefit of the directors, officers, employees, agents and controlling persons referred to in Section 7 and Section 8 hereof, and in each case their respective successors and assigns, and no other person will have any right or obligation hereunder. The term “successors and assigns” shall not include any purchaser of the Notes as such from any of the Underwriters merely by reason of such purchase.
Section 15. Partial Unenforceability. The invalidity or unenforceability of any Section, paragraph or provision of this Agreement shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other Section, paragraph or provision hereof. If any Section, paragraph or provision of this Agreement is for any reason determined to be invalid or unenforceable, there shall be deemed to be made such minor changes (and only such minor changes) as are necessary to make it valid and enforceable.
Section 16. Governing Law Provisions. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED AND INTERPRETED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE INTERNAL LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK APPLICABLE TO AGREEMENTS MADE AND TO BE PERFORMED IN THAT STATE.
Section 17. General Provisions. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement of the parties to this Agreement and supersedes all prior written or oral and all contemporaneous oral agreements, understandings and negotiations with respect to the subject matter hereof. This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each one of which shall be an original, with the same effect as if the signatures thereto and hereto were upon the same instrument. Counterparts may be delivered via facsimile, electronic mail (including any electronic signature complying with the U.S. federal ESIGN Act of 2000, Uniform Electronic Transactions Act, the Electronic Signatures and Records Act or other applicable law) or other transmission method and any counterpart so delivered shall be deemed to have been duly and validly delivered and be valid and effective for all purposes. This Agreement may not be amended or modified unless in writing by all of the parties hereto, and no condition herein (express or implied) may be waived unless waived in writing by each party whom the condition is meant to benefit. The Section captions herein are for the convenience of the parties only and shall not affect the construction or interpretation of this Agreement.
27
Each of the parties hereto acknowledges that it is a sophisticated business person who was adequately represented by counsel during negotiations regarding the provisions hereof, including, without limitation, the indemnification provisions of Section 7 hereof and the contribution provisions of Section 8 hereof, and is fully informed regarding such provisions. Each of the parties hereto further acknowledges that the provisions of Section 7 and Section 8 hereof fairly allocate the risks in light of the ability of the parties to investigate the Company, its affairs and its business in order to assure that adequate disclosure has been made in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (and any amendments and supplements thereto), as required by the Securities Act and the Exchange Act.
Section 18. Recognition of U.S. Special Resolution Regimes. In the event that (a) any Underwriter that is a Covered Entity becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, the transfer from such Underwriter of this Agreement, and any interest and obligation in or under this Agreement, will be effective to the same extent as the transfer would be effective under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if this Agreement, and any such interest and obligation, were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States and (b) any Underwriter that is a Covered Entity or a BHC Act Affiliate of such Underwriter becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, Default Rights under this Agreement that may be exercised against such Underwriter are permitted to be exercised to no greater extent than such Default Rights could be exercised under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if this Agreement were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States. For purposes of this Section 18, (i) a “BHC Act Affiliate” has the meaning assigned to the term “affiliate” in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 U.S.C. § 1841(k), (ii) “Covered Entity” means (A) a “covered entity” (as such term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 252.82(b)), (B) a “covered bank” (as such term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 47.3(b)) or (C) a “covered FSI” (as such term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 382.2(b)), (iii) “Default Right” has the meaning assigned to that term in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. §§ 252.81, 47.2 or 382.1, as applicable, and (iv) “U.S. Special Resolution Regime” means each of (A) the Federal Deposit Insurance Act and the regulations thereunder and (B) Title II of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and the regulations thereunder.
Section 19. Waiver of Trial by Jury. EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY.
28
If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, kindly sign and return to the Company the enclosed copies hereof, whereupon this instrument, along with all counterparts hereof, shall become a binding agreement in accordance with its terms.
| Very truly yours, | ||
| EVERGY, INC. | ||
| By: | /s/ Geoffrey T. Ley | |
| Name: Geoffrey T. Ley | ||
| Title: Senior Vice President, Corporate Planning and Treasurer | ||
[Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement]
BOFA SECURITIES, INC.
GOLDMAN SACHS & CO. LLC
MORGAN STANLEY & CO. LLC
MUFG SECURITIES AMERICAS INC.
WELLS FARGO SECURITIES, LLC
Acting as Representatives of the several Underwriters named in Schedule A hereto.
BofA Securities, Inc.
| By: | /s/ Robert Colucci | |
| Name: Robert Colucci | ||
| Title: Managing Director | ||
| Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC | ||
| By: | /s/ Kevin Dirkse | |
| Name: Kevin Dirkse | ||
| Title: Managing Director | ||
| Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC | ||
| By: | /s/ Natalie Smithson | |
| Name: Natalie Smithson | ||
| Title: Vice President | ||
| MUFG Securities Americas Inc. | ||
| By: | /s/ Lee Schreibstein | |
| Name: Lee Schreibstein | ||
| Title: Managing Director | ||
| Wells Fargo Securities, LLC | ||
| By: | /s/ Carolyn Hurley | |
| Name: Carolyn Hurley | ||
| Title: Managing Director | ||
[Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement]
SCHEDULE A
| Underwriters |
Aggregate |
|||
| BofA Securities, Inc. |
$ | 72,000,000 | ||
| Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC |
$ | 72,000,000 | ||
| Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC |
$ | 72,000,000 | ||
| MUFG Securities Americas Inc. |
$ | 72,000,000 | ||
| Wells Fargo Securities, LLC |
$ | 72,000,000 | ||
| Barclays Capital Inc. |
$ | 48,000,000 | ||
| Citigroup Global Markets Inc. |
$ | 48,000,000 | ||
| J.P. Morgan Securities LLC |
$ | 48,000,000 | ||
| TD Securities (USA) LLC |
$ | 48,000,000 | ||
| U.S. Bancorp Investments, Inc. |
$ | 48,000,000 | ||
| Total |
$ | 600,000,000 | ||
Schedule A
ANNEX I
LIST OF ISSUER GENERAL USE FREE WRITING PROSPECTUSES
| 1. | Final Term Sheet dated August 17, 2026 |
LIST OF ISSUER LIMITED USE FREE WRITING PROSPECTUSES
None
I-1
EXHIBIT A-1
FORM OF OPINION OF COMPANY’S COUNSEL
(a) The Registration Statement has become effective under the Securities Act; each of the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus has been filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) in accordance with Rule 424(b); the Final Term Sheet has been filed pursuant to Rule 433 in accordance with Rule 433; and, to our knowledge, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement is in effect nor are any proceedings for such purpose pending before or threatened by the Commission.
(b) (i) The Registration Statement (other than the financial statements, financial data, statistical data and supporting schedules included therein or omitted therefrom and other than the documents incorporated by reference therein, as to none of which we express any opinion pursuant to this paragraph (b)), as of the date of the Underwriting Agreement, (ii) the Preliminary Prospectus (other than the financial statements, financial data, statistical data and supporting schedules included therein or omitted therefrom and other than the documents incorporated by reference therein, as to none of which we express any opinion pursuant to this paragraph 2), at the Initial Sale Time, and (iii) the Prospectus (other than the financial statements, financial data, statistical data and supporting schedules included therein or omitted therefrom and other than the documents incorporated by reference therein, as to none of which we express any opinion pursuant to this paragraph (b)), as of the date of the Prospectus Supplement and as of the date hereof, appear on their face to have complied as to form in all material respects with the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (the “Trust Indenture Act”), the Securities Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder.
(c) Each document incorporated by reference in the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus (other than the financial statements, financial data, statistical data and supporting schedules included therein or omitted therefrom, as to which we express no opinion), at the respective time such document was filed with the Commission, appeared on its face to have complied as to form in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder.
(d) The Indenture has been duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act and constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except to the extent enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws of general applicability relating to or affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights and by the effect of general principles of equity (regardless of whether enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law).
(e) The execution, delivery and performance by the Company of the Underwriting Agreement, the Indenture and the Notes and the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated thereby (including the issuance and sale of the Notes and the use of the proceeds from the sale of the Notes as described in the Disclosure Package (as such term is defined in Annex A hereto) and in the Prospectus under the caption “Use of Proceeds”) and compliance by the Company with its obligations under the Underwriting Agreement, the Indenture and the Notes do
EXHIBIT A-1-1
not and will not violate any provision of Applicable Laws. As used in this paragraph (e) and paragraph (g) below, the term “Applicable Laws” means the laws of the State of New York and the federal laws of the United States of America that, in our experience and without independent investigation, are normally applicable to transactions of the type contemplated by the Underwriting Agreement and the Indenture (provided that the term “Applicable Laws” shall not include federal or state securities or blue sky laws, including, without limitation, the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, the Trust Indenture Act and the Investment Company Act and the respective rules and regulations thereunder.
(f) The Notes, when duly authorized and executed by the Company, authenticated by the Trustee in accordance with the terms of the Indenture and delivered against payment therefor pursuant to the terms of the Underwriting Agreement, will constitute a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Company, entitled to the benefits of the Indenture and enforceable against the Company in accordance with the terms of the Notes, except to the extent enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws of general applicability relating to or affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights and by the effect of general principles of equity (regardless of whether enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law).
(g) No consent, approval, qualification, authorization, certificate or order of, or registration or filing with, any court or other governmental commission or regulatory authority or agency is required under Applicable Laws for the execution and delivery by the Company of, or the performance of the Company’s obligations under, the Underwriting Agreement or the Indenture, or for the issue and sale of the Notes as contemplated therein.
(h) The statements set forth in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the captions “Description of the Notes” and “Description of Debt Securities” (insofar as such statements purport to summarize certain provisions of the Notes and the Indenture) fairly, accurately and completely summarize in all material respects the matters therein described.
(i) The statements set forth in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the captions “Plan of Distribution” and “Underwriting (Conflicts of Interest)” (insofar as such statements purport to summarize certain provisions of the Underwriting Agreement) fairly, accurately and completely summarize in all material respects the matters therein described.
(j) The statements set forth in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the caption “Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations,” insofar as they purport to constitute summaries of matters of United States federal income tax law, constitute accurate and complete summaries, in all material respects, subject to the qualifications set forth therein.
(k) The Company is not, and will not be after giving effect to the offer and sale of the Notes and application of the proceeds therefrom as described in the Prospectus, required to register as an “investment company” (as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act).
EXHIBIT A-1-2
(l) No facts came to the attention of such counsel that gave such counsel reason to believe that (i) any part of the Registration Statement, as of the date of the Underwriting Agreement, contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, (ii) the Disclosure Package, as of the Initial Sale Time, contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading or (iii) the Prospectus contained, as of the date of the Underwriting Agreement, or contains, on the date hereof, an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, as of the date of the Underwriting Agreement, or omits, on the date hereof, to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, except that in each case such counsel may express no opinion or belief with respect to the financial statements, including the schedules and notes thereto, or any other financial and accounting data and the statistical data derived therefrom, included or incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein or omitted therefrom.
EXHIBIT A-1-3
ANNEX A
DISCLOSURE PACKAGE
| 1. | The Preliminary Prospectus. |
| 2. | The Final Term Sheet. |
For purposes of determining the “Disclosure Package,” the information contained in the foregoing documents shall be considered together.
EXHIBIT A-1-4
EXHIBIT A-2
FORM OF OPINION OF COMPANY’S GENERAL COUNSEL
(a) The Company is a validly organized and existing corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Missouri and is duly qualified as a foreign corporation to do business in the State of Kansas with corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as set forth in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and to enter into and perform its obligations under the Underwriting Agreement.
(b) The Underwriting Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.
(c) The Indenture has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.
(d) The Notes have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.
(e) Each Subsidiary has been duly organized or formed and is validly existing as an entity in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or formation, has the corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and is duly qualified as a foreign corporation to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except where the failure so to qualify or to be in good standing would not result in a Material Adverse Change; except as otherwise disclosed in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, all of the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock or other equity interests of each Subsidiary have been duly authorized and validly issued, are (in the case of capital stock) fully paid and non-assessable and, to the best of such counsel’s knowledge, such shares of capital stock or other equity interests, are owned by the Company, directly or through subsidiaries, free and clear of any security interest, mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance or claim; and none of the outstanding shares of capital stock or other equity interests of such Subsidiary was issued in violation of preemptive or other similar rights of any securityholder of such Subsidiary.
(f) No consent, approval, qualification, authorization, certificate or order of, or registration or filing with, any court or other state or federal commission or regulatory authority or agency (other than (i) as may be required under securities or blue sky laws of the various states and (ii) as may have already been obtained or made and shall be in full force and effect on the date hereof) is necessary for the execution and delivery by the Company of, or the performance of the Company’s obligations under, the Underwriting Agreement or the Indenture or for the issue and sale of the Notes as contemplated therein.
(g) The Company and the Subsidiaries hold, to the extent required, valid and subsisting franchises, licenses and permits authorizing them to carry on the regulated utility businesses in which they are engaged, in the territories from which substantially all of their consolidated gross operating revenue is derived, except where the failure to hold such franchises, licenses and permits would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change.
EXHIBIT A-2-1
(h) To the best of such counsel’s knowledge, there are no legal or governmental proceedings pending or threatened that are required to be disclosed in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, other than those disclosed therein, and all pending legal or governmental proceedings to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or of which any of their property is the subject that are not described in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, including ordinary routine litigation incidental to the business of the Company, are, considered in the aggregate, not material to the consolidated financial condition of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.
(i) To the best of such counsel’s knowledge, the Company is not in violation of its Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation or in default in the performance or observance of any material obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any material Agreement or Instrument.
(j) The execution, delivery and performance of the Underwriting Agreement, the Indenture and the Notes and the consummation of the transactions contemplated therein (including the issuance and sale of the Notes and the use of the proceeds received by the Company from the sale of the Notes as described in the Disclosure Package and in the Prospectus under the caption “Use of Proceeds”) and compliance by the Company with its obligations under the Underwriting Agreement, the Indenture and the Notes do not and will not conflict with or violate or constitute a breach of, or default under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries pursuant to, any material Agreement or Instrument or any law, any regulation or any administrative or court order or decree known to such counsel to be applicable to the Company of any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator having jurisdiction over the Company; nor will such action result in any violation of the provisions of the Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation, as amended, or the Amended and Restated By-Laws.
(k) To the best of such counsel’s knowledge, there are no contracts, indentures, mortgages, loan agreements, notes, leases or other instruments or documents required to be described or referred to in the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits or incorporated by reference as exhibits to the Registration Statement other than those described or referred to therein or filed or incorporated by reference as exhibits to the Registration Statement, the descriptions thereof or references thereto are correct in all material respects, and no default exists in the due performance or observance of any material obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any Agreement or Instrument described, referred to, filed or incorporated by reference therein.
In rendering such opinion, such counsel may state that such counsel expresses no opinion as to the laws of any jurisdiction other than the laws of the States of Missouri and Kansas and the federal laws of the United States of America.
EXHIBIT A-2-2
Exhibit 4.1
SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE NO. 5
Dated as of August 24, 2026
Between
EVERGY, INC.,
As Issuer and
THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A.,
As Trustee
THIS SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE NO. 5 (this “Supplemental Indenture No. 5”), dated as of August 24, 2026, between EVERGY, INC., a Missouri corporation (the “Company”) (and successor by the Merger (hereinafter defined) to Great Plains Energy Incorporated, the “Predecessor Company”), and THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., a national banking association, as Trustee (the “Trustee”), amends and supplements the Subordinated Indenture, dated as of May 18, 2009 between the Company and the Trustee, governing the issuance of debt securities (the “Base Indenture”), Supplemental Indenture No. 1, dated as of May 18, 2009, between the Predecessor Company and the Trustee (“Supplemental Indenture No. 1”), Supplemental Indenture No. 2, dated as of March 22, 2012, between the Predecessor Company and the Trustee (“Supplemental Indenture No. 2”), Supplemental Indenture No. 3, dated as of June 4, 2018, among the Predecessor Company, the Company and the Trustee (“Supplemental Indenture No. 3”) and Supplemental Indenture No. 4, dated as of December 5, 2024, between the Company and the Trustee (“Supplemental Indenture No. 4”). The Base Indenture, as amended and supplemented by Supplemental Indenture No. 1, Supplemental Indenture No. 2, Supplemental Indenture No. 3 and Supplemental Indenture No. 4 shall be referred to herein as the “Original Indenture,” and the Original Indenture, as amended and supplemented by this Supplemental Indenture No. 5, shall be referred to as the “Indenture.”
RECITALS
WHEREAS, the Predecessor Company executed and delivered the Base Indenture to the Trustee to provide for the future issuance of the Predecessor Company’s unsecured subordinated debentures, notes or other evidences of indebtedness (the “Securities”), to be issued from time to time under the Base Indenture in one or more series as might be determined by the Company;
WHEREAS, pursuant to the terms of the Amended and Restated Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of July 9, 2017, by and among Westar Energy, Inc., a Kansas corporation, the Predecessor Company, the Company, and King Energy, Inc., a Kansas corporation, the Predecessor Company merged with and into the Company, with the Company continuing as the surviving corporation (the “Merger”);
WHEREAS, pursuant to Supplemental Indenture No. 3, dated as of June 4, 2018 to supplement the Original Indenture, the Company, as a successor corporation resulting from the Merger, assumed all of the obligations of the Predecessor Company under the Original Indenture, including the due and punctual payment of the principal of and premium, if any, and interest on the Outstanding Notes and the performance of every covenant of the Original Indenture on the part of the Predecessor Company to be performed or observed;
WHEREAS, Section 13.01(a)(3) of the Base Indenture provides for the Company and the Trustee to enter into an indenture supplemental to the Base Indenture to establish the form or terms of Securities of any series as permitted by Section 2.01 and Section 2.05 of the Base Indenture;
WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 2.05 of the Base Indenture, the Company wishes to provide for the issuance of a new series of Securities to be known as its 6.40% Fixed-to-Fixed Reset Rate Junior Subordinated Notes due 2057 (the “Notes”), the form and terms of the Notes and the terms, provisions and conditions thereof to be set forth as provided in this Supplemental Indenture No. 5; and
WHEREAS, the Company has requested that the Trustee execute and deliver this Supplemental Indenture No. 5, and all requirements necessary to make this Supplemental Indenture No. 5 a valid, binding and enforceable instrument in accordance with its terms, and to make the Notes, when executed by the Company and authenticated and delivered by the Trustee, the valid, binding and enforceable obligations of the Company, have been done and performed, and the execution and delivery of this Supplemental Indenture No. 5 has been duly authorized in all respects.
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NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the covenants and agreements set forth herein and for good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto hereby agree as follows:
ARTICLE ONE
Relation to Indenture; Additional Definitions
Section 1.01. Relation to Indenture. This Supplemental Indenture No. 5 constitutes an integral part of the Original Indenture, and supplements and amends the Original Indenture solely with respect to the Notes. To the extent of any inconsistency between this Supplemental Indenture No. 5 and the Base Indenture, Supplemental Indenture No. 1, Supplemental Indenture No. 2, Supplemental Indenture No. 3 or Supplemental Indenture No. 4, this Supplemental Indenture No. 5 shall govern.
Section 1.02. Additional Definitions. For all purposes of this Supplemental Indenture No. 5, capitalized terms used herein shall have the respective meanings specified below or in the Original Indenture, as the case may be.
“business day” means, unless otherwise expressly stated, any day other than (i) a Saturday or Sunday or (ii) a day on which banks and trust companies in The City of New York are authorized or obligated by law, regulation or executive order to remain closed.
“calculation agent” means, at any time, the entity appointed by the Company and serving as such agent with respect to the Notes at such time. Unless the Company has validly called all of the outstanding Notes for redemption on a redemption date occurring prior to the First Reset Date, the Company will appoint a calculation agent for the Notes prior to the Reset Interest Determination Date immediately preceding the First Reset Date; provided that, if the Company has called all of the outstanding Notes for redemption on a redemption date occurring prior to the First Reset Date but the Company does not redeem all of the outstanding Notes on such redemption date, the Company will appoint a calculation agent for the Notes as promptly as practicable after such proposed redemption date. The Company may terminate any such appointment and may appoint a successor calculation agent at any time and from time to time (so long as there shall always be a calculation agent in respect of the Notes when so required). The Company may appoint the Company or an affiliate of the Company as calculation agent.
“Capital Stock” means (i) in the case of a corporation or a company, corporate stock or shares; (ii) in the case of an association or business entity, any and all shares, interests, participations, rights or other equivalents (however designated) of corporate stock; (iii) in the case of a partnership or limited liability company, partnership or membership interests (whether general or limited); and (iv) any other interest or participation that confers on a person the right to receive a share of the profits and losses of, or distributions of assets of, the issuing person.
“compound interest” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.01.
“First Reset Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.03.
“Five-year U.S. Treasury Rate” means, as of any Reset Interest Determination Date, (i) an interest rate (expressed as a decimal) determined to be the per annum rate equal to the arithmetic mean of the yields to maturity for U.S. Treasury securities adjusted to constant maturity with a maturity of five years from the next Reset Date and trading in the public securities markets, for the five consecutive business days immediately prior to the respective Reset Interest Determination
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Date as published (or, if fewer than five consecutive business days are so published on the applicable Reset Interest Determination Date, for such number of business days published) in the most recent H.15, or (ii) if there is no such published U.S. Treasury security with a maturity of five years from the next Reset Date and trading in the public securities markets, then the rate will be determined by interpolation between the arithmetic mean of the yields to maturity for each of the two series of U.S. Treasury securities adjusted to constant maturity trading in the public securities markets, (A) one maturing as close as possible to, but earlier than, the Reset Date following the next succeeding Reset Interest Determination Date, and (B) the other maturing as close as possible to, but later than, the Reset Date following the next succeeding Reset Interest Determination Date, in each case for the five consecutive business days immediately prior to the respective Reset Interest Determination Date as published in the most recent H.15. If the Five-year U.S. Treasury Rate cannot be determined pursuant to the methods described in clause (i) or (ii) above, then the Five-year U.S. Treasury Rate will be the same interest rate determined for the prior Reset Interest Determination Date or, if the Five-year U.S. Treasury Rate cannot be so determined as of the Reset Interest Determination Date preceding the First Reset Date, then the interest rate applicable for the Reset Period beginning on and including the First Reset Date will be deemed to be 6.40% per annum, which is the same interest rate as in effect from and including the Original Issue Date to, but excluding, the First Reset Date.
“H.15” means the statistical release designated as such, or any successor publication, published by the Board of Governors of the U.S. Federal Reserve System (or any successor thereto).
“interest payment date” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.03(a).
“Interest Payment Period” means the semi-annual period from and including an interest payment date to but excluding the next succeeding interest payment date, except for the first Interest Payment Period which shall be the period from and including the Original Issue Date to but excluding February 15, 2027.
“Maturity Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.02.
“most recent H.15” means the H.15 published closest in time but prior to the close of business on the second business day prior to the applicable Reset Date.
“Optional Deferral Period” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.01.
“Original Issue Date” means August 24, 2026.
“Rating Agency Event” means, as of any date, a change, clarification or amendment in the methodology published by any nationally recognized statistical rating organization within the meaning of Section 3(a)(62) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (or any successor provision thereto), that then publishes a rating for the Company (together with any successor thereto, a “rating agency”) in assigning equity credit to securities such as the Notes, (a) as such methodology was in effect on August 17, 2026, in the case of any rating agency that published a rating for the Company as of August 17, 2026, or (b) as such methodology was in effect on the date such rating agency first published a rating for the Company, in the case of any rating agency that first publishes a rating for the Company after August 17, 2026 (in the case of either clause (a) or (b) above, the “current methodology”), that results in (i) any shortening of the length of time for which a particular level of equity credit pertaining to the Notes by such rating agency would have been in effect had the current methodology not been changed or (ii) a lower equity credit (including up to a lesser amount) being assigned by such rating agency to the Notes as of the date of such change, clarification or amendment than the equity credit that would have been assigned to the Notes by such rating agency had the current methodology not been changed.
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“record date” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.03.
“redemption date” when used with respect to any Notes to be redeemed, means the date fixed for such redemption pursuant to this Supplemental Indenture No. 5.
“Reset Date” means the First Reset Date and February 15 of every fifth year after 2032.
“Reset Interest Determination Date” means, in respect of any Reset Period, the day falling two business days prior to the first day of such Reset Period.
“Reset Period” means the period from and including the First Reset Date to, but excluding, the next following Reset Date and thereafter each period from and including a Reset Date to, but excluding, the next following Reset Date.
“Rights Plan” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.02.
“Tax Credit Event” means that, in the Company’s reasonable determination, there exists a material risk, due to the Notes (considered together with other debt) having been issued, as part of an original issuance, to one or more “specified foreign entities,” as defined in Section 7701(a)(51)(B) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), that the Company or any of its affiliates would be unable to utilize or otherwise ineligible to claim any tax credits otherwise allowed under Section 38 of the Code.
“Tax Event” means that the Company has received an opinion of counsel experienced in such matters to the effect that, as a result of:
(i) any amendment to, clarification of, or change, including any announced prospective change, in the laws or treaties of the United States or any of its political subdivisions or taxing authorities, or any regulations under those laws or treaties;
(ii) an administrative action, which means any judicial decision or any official administrative pronouncement, ruling, regulatory procedure, notice or announcement, including any notice or announcement of intent to issue or adopt any administrative pronouncement, ruling, regulatory procedure or regulation;
(iii) any amendment to, clarification of, or change in the official position or the interpretation of any administrative action or judicial decision or any interpretation or pronouncement that provides for a position with respect to an administrative action or judicial decision that differs from the previously generally accepted position, in each case by any legislative body, court, governmental authority or regulatory body, regardless of the time or manner in which that amendment, clarification or change is introduced or made known; or
(iv) a threatened challenge asserted in writing in connection with a tax audit of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or a publicly-known threatened challenge asserted in writing against any other taxpayer that has raised capital through the issuance of securities that are substantially similar to the Notes,
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which amendment, clarification or change is effective or the administrative action is taken or judicial decision, interpretation or pronouncement is issued or threatened challenge is asserted or becomes publicly-known after August 17, 2026, there is more than an insubstantial risk that interest payable by the Company on the Notes is not deductible, or within 90 days would not be deductible, in whole or in part, by the Company for United States federal income tax purposes.
All references herein to Articles, Sections or Exhibits, unless otherwise specified, refer to the corresponding Articles, Sections or Exhibits of this Supplemental Indenture No. 5. The terms “herein,” “hereof,” “hereunder” and other words of similar import refer to this Supplemental Indenture No. 5.
ARTICLE TWO
The Series of Notes
Section 2.01. Designation and Principal Amount. There is hereby authorized a series of Securities designated as 6.40% Fixed-to-Fixed Reset Rate Junior Subordinated Notes due 2057 limited in aggregate principal amount to $600,000,000; provided, however, that the Company, without notice to or consent of the Holders, may issue additional Securities of this series and thereby increase such principal amount in the future, on the same terms and conditions (except for the issue date and, if applicable, the date from which interest accrues and the first Interest Payment Date) as the Securities of this series. The Notes may be issued from time to time upon written order of the Company for the authentication and delivery of Notes pursuant to Section 2.05 of the Base Indenture.
Section 2.02. Stated Maturity. The Notes will mature on February 15, 2057 (the “Maturity Date”), subject to earlier redemption at the Company’s option as set forth herein.
Section 2.03. Interest and Interest Rate.
(a) The Notes will bear interest (i) from and including the Original Issue Date to, but excluding, February 15, 2032 (the “First Reset Date”) at the rate of 6.40% per annum and (ii) from and including the First Reset Date, during each Reset Period at a rate per annum equal to the Five-year U.S. Treasury Rate as of the most recent Reset Interest Determination Date plus a spread of 2.022%, to be reset on each Reset Date; provided that the interest rate during any Reset Period will not reset below 6.40% per annum (which is the same interest rate as in effect from and including the Original Issue Date to, but excluding, the First Reset Date). Interest on the Notes will accrue from the Original Issue Date and will be payable semi-annually in arrears on February 15 and August 15 (each, an “interest payment date”) of each year, beginning on February 15, 2027, to Holders at the close of business on the record date for the applicable interest payment date, which will be (i) the business day immediately preceding such interest payment date so long as all of the Notes remain in book-entry only form or (ii) the 15th calendar day preceding such interest payment date (whether or not a business day) if any of the Notes do not remain in book-entry only form (each, a “record date”), subject to the Company’s right to defer interest payments as described in Article Four below. Interest on the Notes will be computed on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months.
(b) The applicable interest rate for each Reset Period will be determined by the calculation agent, as of the applicable Reset Interest Determination Date. Promptly upon such determination, the calculation agent will notify the Company of the interest rate for the Reset Period and the Company will promptly notify, or cause the calculation agent to promptly notify, in writing, the Trustee and each paying agent of such interest rate. The calculation agent’s determination of any interest rate, and its calculation of the amount of interest for any Interest Payment Period beginning on or after the First Reset Date, will be on file at the Company’s principal offices, will be made available to any Holder or beneficial owner of the Notes upon request and will be final and binding in the absence of manifest error.
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(c) If an interest payment date, redemption date, or the Maturity Date of the Notes falls on a day that is not a business day, payment will be made on the next succeeding business day with the same force and effect as if made on such payment date.
Section 2.04. Place of Payment; Denominations. Principal of and premium, if any, and interest on the Notes will be payable, the transfer of such Notes will be registrable, and such Notes will be exchangeable for Notes of a like aggregate principal amount bearing identical terms and provisions, at the office or agency of the Company maintained for such purpose which shall initially be the corporate trust office of the Trustee located at 500 Ross Street, Suite 625, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15262, Attn: Transfers/Redemptions provided, however, that payment of interest may be made at the option of the Company by check mailed to the Person entitled thereto at such address as shall appear in the Notes register or by wire transfer to an account appropriately designated by the Person entitled to payment at least 10 business days prior to the applicable interest payment date. Payments with respect to any Global Note will be made by wire transfer to the Depositary for the Notes.
No service charge shall be made for any registration of transfer or exchange of the Notes, but the Company may require payment from the Holder of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in connection therewith.
The Notes shall be issuable in minimum denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof.
Section 2.05. Place of Notices and Demands With Respect to the Notes. The place where the Holders of the Notes may make notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Notes shall be the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee.
Section 2.06. Global Notes. The Notes shall be issuable in whole or in part in the form of one or more permanent Global Notes in definitive, fully registered form, without interest coupon (the “Global Notes”). The Global Notes shall be deposited on the date of original issuance thereof with, or on behalf of, the Depositary.
Section 2.07. Form of Securities. The Global Notes and the Trustee’s certificate of authentication thereon shall be substantially in the form attached as Exhibit A.
Section 2.08. Sinking Fund Obligations. No sinking fund is provided for the Notes.
Section 2.09. Paying Agent and Registrar. The Trustee is hereby appointed as initial paying agent and initial registrar for the Notes. The Notes shall be payable at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee.
Section 2.10. Other Terms of the Notes. The other terms of the Notes shall be as expressly set forth herein and in Exhibit A hereto.
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ARTICLE THREE
Subordination
The following subordination provisions for the Notes are established pursuant to Section 15.01 of the Base Indenture and are in addition to the provision of Article XV of the Base Indenture, which shall apply to the Notes, except that Section 3.03 of this Supplemental Indenture No. 5 replaces in its entirety Section 15.04 of the Base Indenture and the definition of Senior Indebtedness included in Section 3.01 of this Supplemental Indenture No. 5 replaces the definition of Senior Indebtedness in Section 1.01 of the Base Indenture.
Section 3.01. Notes Subordinated to Senior Indebtedness. The Company covenants and agrees, and each Holder of the Notes, by his acceptance thereof, likewise covenants and agrees, that (a) the indebtedness represented by the Notes and the payment of the principal of and any premium or interest on each and all of the Notes is subordinate, to the extent and in the manner hereinafter set forth, in right of payment to the prior payment in full of all Senior Indebtedness; and (b) Senior Indebtedness shall continue to be Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Notes irrespective of any amendment, modification or waiver of any term of such Senior Indebtedness or extension or renewal of such Senior Indebtedness (other than any such amendment, modification or waiver that makes such Senior Indebtedness subordinated or equal in right of payment to the Notes).
With respect to the Notes, in the event (a) of any payment by, or distribution of assets of, the Company of any kind or character, whether in cash, property or securities, to creditors upon any dissolution, winding-up, liquidation or reorganization of the Company, whether voluntary or involuntary or in bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or other similar proceedings, or (b) subject to the provisions of Section 3.02, that (i) a default shall have occurred and be continuing with respect to the payment of principal, interest or any other monetary amounts due and payable on any Senior Indebtedness and such default shall have continued beyond the period of grace, if any, specified in the instrument evidencing such Senior Indebtedness (and the Trustee shall have received written notice thereof from the Company or one or more holders of such Senior Indebtedness or their representative or representatives or the trustee or trustees under any indenture pursuant to which any such Senior Indebtedness may have been issued), or (ii) the maturity of any such Senior Indebtedness shall have been accelerated because of a default in respect of such Senior Indebtedness (and the Trustee shall have received written notice thereof from the Company or one or more holders of such Senior Indebtedness or their representative or representatives or the trustee or trustees under any indenture pursuant to which any such Senior Indebtedness may have been issued), then:
(1) the holders of all such Senior Indebtedness shall first be entitled to receive, in the case of clause (a) above, payment of all amounts due or to become due upon all such Senior Indebtedness or, in the case of subclauses (i) and (ii) of clause (b) above, payment of all amounts due upon all such Senior Indebtedness, or provision shall be made for such payment in money or money’s worth, before the Holders of any of the Notes are entitled to receive any payment on account of the principal of or any premium or interest on the indebtedness evidenced by the Notes, including, without limitation, any payments made pursuant to Article III or Article IV of the Base Indenture;
(2) so long as any of the events in clause (a) or subclauses (i) or (ii) of clause (b) above has occurred and is continuing, any payment by, or distribution of assets of, the Company of any kind or character, whether in cash, property or securities, to which the Holders of any of the Notes would be entitled except for the provisions of this Article Three, including any such payment or distribution which may be payable or deliverable by reason of the payment of any other indebtedness of the Company being subordinated to the payment of the Notes, shall be paid or distributed, as the case may be, by the Person making such payment or distribution, whether a trustee in bankruptcy, receiver or liquidating trustee or otherwise, directly to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness or their representative or representatives or to the trustee or trustees under any indenture under which any instruments evidencing any such Senior Indebtedness may have been issued, ratably according to aggregate amounts remaining unpaid on account of such Senior Indebtedness held or represented by each, to the extent necessary to make payment, in the case of clause (a) above, of all amounts due and to become due upon all such Senior Indebtedness, or, in the case of subclauses (i) and (ii) of clause (b) above, of all amounts due upon all such Senior Indebtedness, in each case remaining unpaid after giving effect to any concurrent payment or distribution (or provision therefor) to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness, before any payment or distribution is made to the Holders of the indebtedness evidenced by the Notes; and
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(3) so long as any of the events in clause (a) or subclauses (i) or (ii) of clause (b) above has occurred and is continuing, in the event that, notwithstanding the foregoing, any payment by, or distribution of assets of, the Company of any kind or character, whether in cash, property or securities, including any such payment or distribution which may be payable or deliverable by reason of the payment of any other indebtedness of the Company being subordinated to the payment of the Notes, in respect of principal of or any premium or interest on any of the Notes or in connection with the repurchase by the Company of any of the Notes, shall be received by the Trustee or the Holders of any of the Notes before, in the case of clause (a) above, all amounts due or to become due upon all such Senior Indebtedness or, in the case of subclauses (i) or (ii) of clause (b) above, all amounts due upon all such Senior Indebtedness is paid in full (or provision is made for such payment), then such payment or distribution shall be paid over to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness or their representative or representatives or to the trustee or trustees under any indenture pursuant to which any instruments evidencing any such Senior Indebtedness may have been issued, ratably as aforesaid, for application to the payment of, in the case of clause (a) above, all amounts due and to become due upon all such Senior Indebtedness or, in the case of subclauses (i) or (ii) of clause (b) above, all amounts due upon all such Senior Indebtedness, in each case until all such amounts shall have been paid in full, after giving effect to any concurrent payment or distribution (or provision therefor) to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness.
For purposes of this Article Three, the words “cash, property or securities” shall not be deemed to include shares of stock of the Company as reorganized or readjusted, or securities of the Company or any other Person provided for by a plan of reorganization or readjustment, the payment of which is subordinated at least to the extent provided in this Article Three with respect to the Notes to the payment of all Senior Indebtedness which may at the time be outstanding; provided that (i) all such Senior Indebtedness is assumed by the Person, if any, resulting from any such reorganization or readjustment, and (ii) the rights of the holders of such Senior Indebtedness are not, without the consent of each such holder adversely affected thereby, altered by such reorganization or readjustment. The consolidation of the Company with, or the merger of the Company into, another Person or the liquidation or dissolution of the Company following the conveyance or transfer of its properties and assets as an entirety, or substantially as an entirety, to any winding-up, liquidation or reorganization for the purposes of this Section 3.01 if such other Person shall, as part of such consolidation, merger, conveyance or transfer, comply with the conditions stated in Article XII of the Base Indenture. Nothing in this Section 3.01 shall apply to claims of, or payments to, the Trustee under or pursuant to Section 9.06 of the Base Indenture.
“Senior Indebtedness” means, with respect to the Notes, (i) indebtedness of the Company, whether outstanding at the date of the indenture or incurred, created or assumed after such date, (a) in respect of money borrowed by the Company (including any financial derivative, hedging or futures contract or similar instrument, to the extent any such item is primarily a financing transaction) and (b) evidenced by debentures, bonds, notes, credit or loan agreements or other similar instruments or agreements issued or entered into by the Company; (ii) all finance lease obligations of the Company; (iii) all obligations of the Company issued or assumed as the deferred purchase price of property, all conditional sale obligations of the Company and all obligations of the Company under any title retention agreement (but excluding, for the avoidance of doubt, trade accounts payable arising in the ordinary course of business and long-term purchase obligations); (iv) all obligations of the Company for the reimbursement of any letter of credit, banker’s acceptance, security purchase facility or similar credit transaction; and (v) all obligations of the type referred to in clauses (i) through (iv) above of other persons for the payment of which the Company is responsible or liable as obligor, guarantor or otherwise, except for any obligations, instruments or agreements of the type referred to in any of clauses (i) through (v) above that, by the terms of the instruments or agreements creating or evidencing the same or pursuant to which the same is outstanding, are subordinated or equal in right of payment to the Notes.
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Section 3.02. Disputes with Holders of Certain Senior Indebtedness. Any failure by the Company to make any payment of or on or perform any other obligation under any Senior Indebtedness, other than any Senior Indebtedness incurred by the Company or assumed or guaranteed, directly or indirectly, by the Company for money borrowed (or any deferral, renewal, extension or refunding thereof) or any indebtedness or obligation as to which the provisions of this Section 3.02 shall have been waived by the Company in the instrument or instruments by which the Company incurred, assumed, guaranteed or otherwise created such indebtedness or obligation, shall not be deemed a default or event of default with respect to such Senior Indebtedness under clause (b) of the second paragraph of Section 3.01 if (i) the Company shall be disputing its obligation to make such payment or perform such obligation and (ii) either (A) no final judgment relating to such dispute shall have been issued against the Company which is in full force and effect and is not subject to further review, including a judgment that has become final by reason of the expiration of the time within which a party may seek further appeal or review, or (B) in the event of a judgment that is subject to further review or appeal has been issued, the Company shall in good faith be prosecuting an appeal or other proceeding for review and a stay of execution shall have been obtained pending such appeal or review.
Section 3.03. Subrogation. Subject to the payment in full, in the case of clause (a) of the second paragraph of Section 3.01, of all amounts due and to become due on all Senior Indebtedness or, in the case of subclauses (i) or (ii) of clause (b) of the second paragraph of Section 3.01, of all amounts due on all such Senior Indebtedness, as the case may be, the Holders of the Notes shall be subrogated (equally and ratably with the holders of all obligations of the Company which are subordinated in right of payment to Senior Indebtedness of the Company to the same extent as the Notes are subordinated, or which by their express terms rank equally in right of payment with the Notes with regard to Senior Indebtedness, and which in each case are entitled to like rights of subrogation) to the rights of the holders of such Senior Indebtedness to receive payments or distributions of cash, property or securities of the Company applicable to such Senior Indebtedness. Such subrogation shall continue until all amounts owing on the Notes shall be paid in full, and as between the Company, its creditors other than holders of such Senior Indebtedness and the Holders of the Notes, no such payment or distribution made to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness by virtue of this Article Three that otherwise would have been made to the Holders of the Notes shall be deemed to be a payment by the Company on account of such Senior Indebtedness. The provisions of this Article Three are and are intended solely for the purpose of defining the relative rights of the Holders of the Notes, on the one hand, and the holders of Senior Indebtedness, on the other hand.
Section 3.04. Obligation of the Company Unconditional. Nothing contained in this Article Three or elsewhere in this Supplemental Indenture No. 5 or in the Notes is intended to or shall impair, as among the Company, its creditors other than the holders of Senior Indebtedness and the Holders of the Notes, the obligation of the Company, which is absolute and unconditional, to pay to such Holders the principal of and any premium and interest on the Notes as and when the same shall become due and payable in accordance with their terms, or is intended to or shall affect the relative rights of such Holders and the creditors of the Company other than the holders of such Senior Indebtedness, nor shall anything herein or therein prevent the Trustee or any Holder of the Notes from exercising all remedies otherwise permitted by this Indenture or applicable law upon default under this Supplemental Indenture No. 5, subject to the rights, if any, under this Article Three of the holders of such Senior Indebtedness in respect of cash, property or securities of the Company received by the Trustee or the holders of the Notes upon the exercise of any such remedy and the rights of the holders of such Senior Indebtedness to enforce the provisions of subparagraph (3) of the second paragraph of Section 3.01 against the Trustee and the Holders of the Notes.
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Upon payment or distribution of assets of the Company referred to in this Article Three, the Trustee and the Holders of the Notes shall be entitled to rely upon any order or decree made by any court of competent jurisdiction in which any such dissolution, winding-up, liquidation or reorganization proceeding affecting the affairs of the Company is pending or upon a certificate of the trustee in bankruptcy, receiver, assignee for the benefit of creditors, liquidating trustee or agent or other person making any payment or distribution, delivered to the Trustee or to the Holders of the Notes, for the purpose of ascertaining the Persons entitled to participate in such payment or distribution, the holders of the Senior Indebtedness and other indebtedness of the Company, the amount thereof or payable thereon, the amount or amounts paid or distributed thereon and all other facts pertinent thereto or to this Article Three.
The Trustee shall be entitled to rely on the delivery to it of a written notice by a Person representing itself to be a holder of Senior Indebtedness (or a trustee or representative on behalf of such holder) to establish that such notice has been given by a holder of Senior Indebtedness or a trustee or representative on behalf of any such holder or holders. In the event that the Trustee determines in good faith that further evidence is required with respect to the right of any Person as a holder of Senior Indebtedness to participate in any payment or distribution pursuant to this Article Three, the Trustee may request such Person to furnish evidence to the reasonable satisfaction of the Trustee as to the amount of Senior Indebtedness held by such Person, the extent to which such Person is entitled to participate in such payment or distribution and any other facts pertinent to the rights of such Person under this Article Three, and, if such evidence is not furnished, the Trustee may defer payment to such Person pending judicial determination as to the right of such Person to receive such payment.
ARTICLE FOUR
Option to Defer Interest and Covenants
Section 4.01. Option to Defer Interest Payments. So long as no Event of Default with respect to the Notes has occurred and is continuing, the Company may, at its option, defer interest payments on the Notes, from time to time, for one or more deferral periods of up to 20 consecutive Interest Payment Periods (each such deferral period, commencing on the interest payment date on which the first such deferred interest payment otherwise would have been made, an “Optional Deferral Period”), except that no such Optional Deferral Period may extend beyond the Maturity Date of the Notes or end on a day other than the day immediately preceding an interest payment date. During any Optional Deferral Period, interest on the Notes will continue to accrue at the then-applicable interest rate on the Notes (as reset from time to time on any Reset Date occurring during such Optional Deferral Period in accordance with the terms of the Notes). In addition, during any Optional Deferral Period, interest on the deferred interest (“compound interest”) will accrue at the then-applicable interest rate on the Notes (as reset from time to time on any Reset Date occurring during such Optional Deferral Period in accordance with the terms of the Notes), compounded semi-annually, to the extent permitted by applicable law. No interest will be due or payable on the Notes during an Optional Deferral Period, except upon a redemption of any Notes on any redemption date during such Optional Deferral Period (in which case all accrued and unpaid interest (including, to the extent permitted by applicable law, any compound interest) on the Notes to be redeemed to, but excluding, such redemption date will be due and payable on such redemption date), or unless the principal of and interest on the Notes shall have been declared due and payable as the result of an Event of Default with respect to the Notes (in which case all accrued and unpaid interest, including, to the extent permitted by applicable law, any compound interest, on the Notes shall become due and payable). All references in the Notes and, insofar as relates to the Notes, this Supplemental Indenture No. 5, to “interest” on the Notes shall be deemed to include any such deferred interest and, to the extent permitted by applicable law, any compound interest, unless otherwise expressly stated or the context otherwise requires.
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Before the end of any Optional Deferral Period that is shorter than 20 consecutive Interest Payment Periods, the Company may elect, at its option, to extend such Optional Deferral Period, so long as the entire Optional Deferral Period does not exceed 20 consecutive Interest Payment Periods or extend beyond the Maturity Date of the Notes. The Company may also elect, at its option, to shorten the length of any Optional Deferral Period. No Optional Deferral Period (including as extended or shortened) may end on a day other than the day immediately preceding an interest payment date. At the end of any Optional Deferral Period, if all amounts then due on the Notes, including all accrued and unpaid interest thereon (including, without limitation and to the extent permitted by applicable law, any compound interest), are paid, the Company may elect to begin a new Optional Deferral Period; provided, however, that, without limitation of the foregoing, the Company may not begin a new Optional Deferral Period unless the Company has paid all accrued and unpaid interest on the Notes (including, without limitation and to the extent permitted by applicable law, any compound interest) from any previous Optional Deferral Periods.
Section 4.02. Covenants. During any Optional Deferral Period, the Company will not do any of the following:
(a) declare or pay any dividends or distributions on any Capital Stock of the Company;
(b) redeem, purchase, acquire or make a liquidation payment with respect to any Capital Stock of the Company;
(c) pay any principal, interest (to the extent such interest is deferrable) or premium on, or repay, repurchase or redeem, any indebtedness of the Company that ranks equally with or junior to the Notes in right of payment; or
(d) make any payments with respect to any guarantees by the Company of any indebtedness if such guarantees rank equally with or junior to the Notes in right of payment;
provided; however, during an Optional Deferral Period, the Company may (a) declare and pay dividends or distributions payable solely in shares of the Company common stock (together, for the avoidance of doubt, with cash in lieu of any fractional share) or options, warrants or rights to subscribe for or purchase shares of the Company common stock, (b) declare and pay any dividend in connection with the implementation of a plan (a “Rights Plan”) providing for the issuance by the Company to all holders of the Company common stock of rights entitling them to subscribe for or purchase common stock or any class or series of the Company preferred stock, which rights (1) are deemed to be transferred with such common stock, (2) are not exercisable until the occurrence of a specified event or events and (3) are also issued in respect of future issuances of the Company common stock, (c) issue any of the shares of the Company Capital Stock under any Rights Plan or redeem or repurchase any rights distributed pursuant to a Rights Plan, (d) reclassify the Company Capital Stock or exchange or convert one class or series of the Company Capital Stock for another class or series of the Company Capital Stock, (e) purchase fractional interests in shares of the Company Capital Stock pursuant to the conversion or exchange provisions of such Capital Stock or the security being converted or exchanged, (f) purchase, acquire or withhold shares of the Company common stock related to the issuance of the Company common stock or rights under any dividend reinvestment plan or related to any of the Company benefit plans for the Company directors, officers, employees, consultants or advisors, including any employment contract, (g) for the avoidance of doubt, convert convertible Capital Stock of the Company into other Capital Stock of the Company in accordance with the terms of such convertible Capital Stock (together, for the avoidance of doubt, with cash in lieu of any fractional share) and (h) settle conversions of any convertible notes that rank equally with the Notes.
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Section 4.03. Notice of Deferral. The Company will give the Holders of the Notes and the Trustee written notice of its election of, or any shortening or extension of, an Optional Deferral Period at least 10 business days prior to the earlier of (1) the next succeeding interest payment date or (2) the date upon which the Company is required to give notice to any applicable self-regulatory organization or to Holders of the Notes of the next succeeding interest payment date or the record date therefor. The record date for the payment of deferred interest and, to the extent permitted by applicable law, any compound interest payable on the interest payment date immediately following the last day of an Optional Deferral Period will be the regular record date with respect to such interest payment date.
ARTICLE FIVE
Optional Redemption of the Notes
Section 5.01. Optional Redemption. The Company may redeem some or all of the Notes, at its option, in whole or in part (i) on any day in the period commencing on the date falling 90 days prior to the First Reset Date and ending on and including the First Reset Date and (ii) after the First Reset Date, on any interest payment date, at a redemption price in cash equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Notes being redeemed, plus (subject to the provisions set forth in Section 5.05 regarding the payment of installments of interest on the Notes that are due and payable on any interest payment date falling on or prior to a redemption date), accrued and unpaid interest on the Notes to be redeemed to, but excluding, the redemption date.
Section 5.02. Redemption Following a Tax Event. The Company may at its option redeem the Notes, in whole but not in part, at any time following the occurrence and during the continuance of a Tax Event at a redemption price in cash equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Notes, plus (subject to the provisions set forth in Section 5.05 regarding the payment of installments of interest on the Notes that are due and payable on any interest payment date falling on or prior to a redemption date), accrued and unpaid interest on the Notes to, but excluding, the redemption date.
Section 5.03. Redemption Following a Rating Agency Event. The Company may at its option redeem the Notes, in whole but not in part, at any time following the occurrence and during the continuance of a Rating Agency Event at a redemption price in cash equal to 102% of the principal amount of the Notes, plus (subject to the provisions set forth in Section 5.05 regarding the payment of installments of interest on the Notes that are due and payable on any interest payment date falling on or prior to a redemption date), accrued and unpaid interest on the Notes to, but excluding, the redemption date.
Section 5.04. Redemption Following a Tax Credit Event. The Company may at its option redeem the Notes, in whole but not in part, following the occurrence of a Tax Credit Event, at a redemption price in cash equal to 101% of the principal amount of the Notes, plus (subject to the provisions set forth in Section 5.05 regarding the payment of installments of interest on the Notes that are due and payable on any interest payment date falling on or prior to a redemption date) accrued and unpaid interest on the Notes to, but excluding, the redemption date. A notice of redemption of the Notes upon the occurrence of a Tax Credit Event (i) may only be sent by the later of (a) the end of the calendar year in which the Notes were issued and (b) six months from the date of issuance of the Notes and (ii) shall be accompanied by an Officers’ Certificate of the Company stating that a Tax Credit Event has occurred.
Section 5.05. Payments of Interest. Notwithstanding any statement in Article Five to the contrary, installments of interest on the Notes that are due and payable on any interest payment date falling on or prior to a redemption date for the Notes will be payable on that interest payment date to the Holders thereof as of the close of business on the relevant record date according to the terms of the Notes and this Supplemental Indenture No. 5, except that, if the redemption date for any Notes falls on any day during an Optional Deferral Period, accrued and unpaid interest (including, to the extent permitted by applicable law, any compound interest) on such Notes will be paid on such redemption date to the persons entitled to receive the redemption price of such Notes. For the avoidance of doubt, the interest payment date falling immediately after the last day of an Optional Deferral Period shall not be deemed to fall on a day during such Optional Deferral Period.
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Section 5.06. Payment of Notes On Redemption. As it applies solely to the Notes, Section 3.03 of the Base Indenture is replaced in its entirety as follows:
“Once notice of redemption is mailed, the Notes called for redemption will become due and payable on the redemption date at the applicable redemption price, plus, subject to the terms described in Section 5.05 of Supplemental Indenture No. 5, accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the redemption date, and will be paid upon surrender thereof for redemption, unless (a) the notice of redemption provides that such redemption shall be subject to the condition described in Section 5.07 of Supplemental Indenture No. 5 and (b) such redemption shall have been canceled in accordance with the provisions of Section 5.07 of Supplemental Indenture No. 5 because such condition shall not have been satisfied. If only part of a note is redeemed, the Trustee will issue in the name of the registered holder of the note and deliver to such holder a new note in a principal amount equal to the unredeemed portion of the principal of the note surrendered for redemption (or otherwise reduce the principal balance of such Note in accordance with the Depositary’s customary policies and procedures). If the Company elects to redeem all or a portion of the Notes, then, unless otherwise provided in such notice of redemption as described in the next succeeding paragraph, the redemption will not be conditional upon receipt by the paying agent or the Trustee of monies sufficient to pay the redemption price.”
Section 5.07. Notice of Redemption. As it applies solely to the Notes, Section 3.02(e) of the Base Indenture is replaced in its entirety as follows:
“If, at the time a notice of redemption is given, (i) the Company has not effected satisfaction and discharge of the Notes pursuant to Article V of the Base Indenture and (ii) such notice of redemption is not being given in connection with or in order to effect satisfaction and discharge of the Notes, then, if the notice of redemption so provides and at the Company’s option, the redemption may be subject to the condition that the Trustee shall have received, on or before the applicable redemption date, monies in an amount sufficient to pay the redemption price and accrued and unpaid interest on the Notes called for redemption to, but excluding, the redemption date. If monies in such amount are not received by the Trustee on or before such redemption date, such notice of redemption shall be automatically canceled and of no force or effect, such proposed redemption shall be automatically canceled and the Company shall not be required to redeem the Notes called for redemption on such redemption date. In the event that a redemption is canceled, the Company will, not later than the business day immediately following the proposed redemption date, deliver, or cause to be delivered, notice of such cancellation to the Holders of the Notes called for redemption (which notice will also indicate that any Notes or portions thereof surrendered for redemption shall be returned to the applicable Holders), and the Company will direct the Trustee to, and the Trustee will, promptly return any Notes or portions thereof that have been surrendered for redemption to the applicable Holders.”
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ARTICLE SIX
Events of Default
Section 6.01. Events of Default. As it applies solely to the Notes, the first paragraph of Section 8.01(a) of the Base Indenture is replaced in its entirety as follows:
(a) If one or more of the following Events of Default with respect to the Notes of any series shall have occurred and be continuing:
(1) default by the Company in the payment of any interest upon any Note and the continuance of such default for 30 days;
(2) a default by the Company in the payment of principal of or any premium on any Note when due at Maturity, on redemption, by declaration or otherwise, and the continuance of such default for one (1) business day;
(3) a default by the Company in the performance of or breach of any covenant or warranty in this Indenture and continuance of such default for 60 days after written notice has been given to the Company by the Trustee or to the Company and the Trustee by the Holders of at least 33% in principal amount of the Notes then outstanding; or
(4) the Company shall commence a voluntary case or proceeding under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other similar law now or hereafter in effect or any other case or proceeding to be adjudicated a bankrupt or insolvent, or consent to the entry of a decree or order for relief in an involuntary case under any such law, or to the commencement of any bankruptcy or insolvency case or proceeding against it, or the filing by it of a petition or answer or consent seeking reorganization or relief under any applicable law, or consent to the filing of such petition or to the appointment or taking possession by a receiver, liquidator, assignee, custodian, trustee or sequestrator (or similar official) of the Company or for any substantial part of the property of the Company, or make any general assignment for the benefit of creditors, or the notice by it in writing of its inability to pay its debts generally as they become due, or the taking of any corporate action by the Company in furtherance of any such action.
If an Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the Trustee or the Holders of at least 33% in principal amount of the Notes then outstanding may declare all the Notes to be due and payable immediately.
Neither the Trustee nor the Holders of the Notes shall be entitled to declare the principal of or accrued and unpaid interest on the Notes to be immediately due and payable by reason of the occurrence and continuation of an Event of Default specified in clause (c) above, and any notice of declaration of acceleration based on such an Event of Default shall be null and void with respect to the Notes; provided that, notwithstanding the foregoing, so long as an Event of Default specified in clause (c) above with respect to the Notes shall have occurred and shall be continuing, the Trustee and the Holders of the Notes may exercise the other rights and remedies available under this Indenture in connection with such Event of Default, as well as such other rights and remedies as may be available under applicable law or otherwise.
ARTICLE SEVEN
Amendment of Indenture
Section 7.01. Reports By The Company. As it applies solely to the Notes, Section 7.03 of the Base Indenture is hereby amended by adding the following at the end thereof:
“Delivery of such reports, information and documents to the Trustee is for informational purposes only and the Trustee’s receipt of such shall not constitute actual or constructive notice or knowledge of any information contained therein or determinable from information contained therein, including the Company’s compliance with any of its covenants hereunder (as to which the Trustee is entitled to rely exclusively on Officers’ Certificates).”
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Section 7.02. Notices. As it applies solely to the Notes, Section 16.03 of the Base Indenture is hereby amended by adding the following at the end thereof:
“The Trustee shall have the right to accept and act upon instructions, including funds transfer instructions (“Instructions”) given pursuant to this Indenture and related financing documents and delivered using Electronic Means (defined below); provided, however, that the Company, as applicable, shall provide to the Trustee an incumbency certificate listing officers with the authority to provide such Instructions (“Authorized Officers”) and containing specimen signatures of such Authorized Officers, which incumbency certificate shall be amended by the Company, as applicable, whenever a person is to be added or deleted from the listing. If the Company elects to give the Trustee Instructions using Electronic Means and the Trustee in their discretion elect to act upon such Instructions, the Trustee’s understanding of such Instructions shall be deemed controlling. The Company understands and agrees that the Trustee cannot determine the identity of the actual sender of such Instructions and that the Trustee shall conclusively presume that directions that purport to have been sent by an Authorized Officer listed on the incumbency certificate provided to the Trustee have been sent by such Authorized Officer. The Company shall be responsible for ensuring that only Authorized Officers transmit such Instructions to the Trustee and that the Company, and all Authorized Officers are solely responsible to safeguard the use and confidentiality of applicable user and authorization codes, passwords and/or authentication keys upon receipt by the Company, as applicable. The Trustee shall not be liable for any losses, costs or expenses arising directly or indirectly from the Trustee ’s reliance upon and compliance with such Instructions notwithstanding such directions conflict or are inconsistent with a subsequent written instruction. The Company agrees: (i) to assume all risks arising out of the use of Electronic Means to submit Instructions to the Trustee, including without limitation the risk of the Trustee acting on unauthorized Instructions, and the risk of interception and misuse by third parties; (ii) that it is fully informed of the protections and risks associated with the various methods of transmitting Instructions to the Trustee and that there may be more secure methods of transmitting Instructions than the method(s) selected by the Company, as applicable; (iii) that the security procedures (if any) to be followed in connection with its transmission of Instructions provide to it a commercially reasonable degree of protection in light of its particular needs and circumstances; and (iv) to notify the Trustee immediately upon learning of any compromise or unauthorized use of the security procedures. “Electronic Means” shall mean the following communications methods: e-mail, secure electronic transmission containing applicable authorization codes, passwords and/or authentication keys issued by the Trustee, or another method or system specified by the Trustee as available for use in connection with its services hereunder.”
Section 7.03. Submission to Jurisdiction. As it applies solely to the Notes, Article XVI of the Base Indenture is hereby amended by adding the following at the end thereof:
“Section 16.12. Submission to Jurisdiction. The Company hereby irrevocably submits to the jurisdiction of any New York State court sitting in the Borough of Manhattan in the City of New York or any federal court sitting in the Southern District in the Borough of Manhattan in the City of New York in respect of any suit, action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Indenture and the Notes, and irrevocably accepts for itself and in respect of its property, generally and unconditionally, jurisdiction of the aforesaid courts.”
ARTICLE EIGHT
Miscellaneous Provisions
Section 8.01. The Indenture, as supplemented by this Supplemental Indenture No. 5, is in all respects hereby adopted, ratified and confirmed.
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Section 8.02. This Supplemental Indenture No. 5 may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be an original, but such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same instrument.
Section 8.03. THIS SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE NO. 5 AND EACH NOTE SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND DEEMED TO BE A CONTRACT MADE UNDER, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK AND FOR ALL PURPOSES SHALL BE CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK WITHOUT REGARD TO CONFLICTS OF LAWS PRINCIPLES THEREOF.
Section 8.04. If any provision in this Supplemental Indenture No. 5 limits, qualifies or conflicts with another provision hereof that is required to be included herein by any provisions of the Trust Indenture Act, such required provision shall control.
Section 8.05. In case any provision in this Supplemental Indenture No. 5 or the Notes shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.
Section 8.06. The recitals contained herein shall be taken as the statements of the Company, and the Trustee assumes no responsibility for their correctness. The Trustee makes no representations as to the proper authorization or due execution hereof or of the Notes by the Company or as to the validity or sufficiency of this Supplemental Indenture No. 5 or the Notes. The Trustee shall not be accountable for the use or application by the Company of the Notes or the proceeds of the Notes.
Section 8.07. Counterparts. The parties may sign any number of copies of this Supplemental Indenture No. 5 (including by electronic transmission). Each signed copy shall be an original, but all of them together represent the same agreement. The words “execution,” “signed,” “signature,” and words of like import in this Supplemental Indenture No. 5 or in any other certificate, agreement or document related to this Supplemental Indenture No. 5 shall include images of manually executed signatures transmitted by electronic format (including, without limitation, “pdf”, “tif” or “jpg”) and other electronic signatures (including, without limitation, DocuSign and AdobeSign). The use of electronic signatures and electronic records (including, without limitation, any contract or other record created, generated, sent, communicated, received, or stored by electronic means) shall be of the same legal effect, validity and enforceability as a manually executed signature or use of a paper-based record-keeping system to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, including the Federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, the New York State Electronic Signatures and Records Act, and any other applicable law, including, without limitation, any state law based on the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act or the Uniform Commercial Code. The exchange of copies of this Supplemental Indenture No. 5 and of signature pages by PDF transmission shall constitute effective execution and delivery of this Supplemental Indenture No. 5 as to the parties hereto and may be used in lieu of the original Supplemental Indenture No. 5 for all purposes.
Section 8.08. FATCA. In order to comply with applicable tax laws, rules and regulations (inclusive of directives, guidelines and interpretations promulgated by competent authorities) in effect from time to time (“Applicable Law”) a foreign financial institution, issuer, trustee, paying agent, holder or other institution is or has agreed to be subject to related to this Supplemental Indenture No. 5, the Company agrees (i) to provide to the Trustee sufficient information about holders or other applicable parties and/or transactions (including any modification to the terms of such transactions) so the Trustee can determine whether it has tax related obligations under Applicable Law, (ii) that the Trustee shall be entitled to make any withholding or deduction from payments under the Indenture to the extent necessary to comply with Applicable Law for which the Trustee shall not have any liability, and (iii) to hold harmless the Trustee for any losses it may suffer due to the actions it takes to comply with such Applicable Law. The terms of this paragraph shall survive the termination of this Supplemental Indenture No. 5.
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Section 8.09. OFAC Compliance. With respect to the Notes:
(a) The Company covenants and represents that neither it nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any of its affiliates, subsidiaries, directors or officers are the target or subject of any sanctions enforced by the US Government (including the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the US Department of the Treasury (“OFAC”)), the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, His Majesty’s Treasury, or other relevant sanctions authority (collectively, “Sanctions”).
(b) The Company covenants and represents that neither it nor any of its affiliates, subsidiaries, directors or officers will use any part of the proceeds received in connection with the Indenture or any other of the transaction documents (i) to fund or facilitate any activities of or business with any person who, at the time of such funding or facilitation, is the subject or target of Sanctions, (ii) to fund or facilitate any activities of or business with any country or territory that is the target or subject of Sanctions, or (iii) in any other manner that will result in a violation of Sanctions by any person.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Supplemental Indenture No. 5 to be duly executed as of the day and year first above written.
| EVERGY, INC. | ||
| By | /s/ Geoffrey T. Ley | |
| Name: Geoffrey T. Ley | ||
| Title: Senior Vice President, Corporate Planning and Treasurer | ||
| ATTEST: | ||
| By | /s/ Heather A. Humphrey | |
| Name: Heather A. Humphrey | ||
| Title: Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary | ||
| THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., as Trustee | ||
| By | /s/ April Bradley | |
| Name: April Bradley | ||
| Title: Vice President | ||
[Signature Page to Supplemental Indenture No. 5]
Exhibit A
[FORM OF NOTE]
[Certificated Note]
UNLESS THIS GLOBAL NOTE IS PRESENTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY, A NEW YORK CORPORATION (“DTC”), NEW YORK, NEW YORK, TO EVERGY, INC. OR ITS AGENT OR AGENTS FOR REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER, EXCHANGE OR PAYMENT, AND ANY GLOBAL NOTE ISSUED IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF CEDE & CO. OR SUCH OTHER NAME AS IS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC (AND ANY PAYMENT IS MADE TO CEDE & CO., OR TO SUCH OTHER ENTITY AS IS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC), ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS WRONGFUL INASMUCH AS THE REGISTERED OWNER HEREOF, CEDE & CO., HAS AN INTEREST HEREIN.
TRANSFERS OF THIS GLOBAL NOTE SHALL BE LIMITED TO TRANSFERS IN WHOLE, BUT NOT IN PART, TO NOMINEES OF DTC OR TO A SUCCESSOR THEREOF OR SUCH SUCCESSOR’S NOMINEE AND TRANSFERS OF PORTIONS OF THIS GLOBAL NOTE SHALL BE LIMITED TO TRANSFERS MADE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE RESTRICTIONS SET FORTH IN THE INDENTURE REFERRED TO ON THE REVERSE HEREOF.
| No.: __________ | $__________ | |
| CUSIP No.: 30034W AG1 | ||
| ISIN No.: US30034WAG15 |
6.40% Fixed-to-Fixed Reset Rate Junior Subordinated Notes due 2057
Evergy, Inc., a Missouri corporation (such corporation, and its successors and assigns under the Indenture hereinafter referred to, being herein called the “Company”), promises to pay to Cede & Co., or registered assigns, the principal sum of __________ Dollars ($__________) on February 15, 2057 (the “Maturity Date”), and to pay interest thereon (i) from and including August 24, 2026 (the “Original Issue Date”) to, but excluding, February 15, 2032 (the “First Reset Date”) at the rate of 6.40% per annum and (ii) from and including the First Reset Date, during each Reset Period (as defined on the reverse hereof) at a rate per annum equal to the Five-year U.S. Treasury Rate (as defined on the reverse hereof) as of the most recent Reset Interest Determination Date (as defined on the reverse hereof) plus a spread of 2.022%, to be reset on each Reset Date (as defined on the reverse hereof); provided that the interest rate during any Reset Period will not reset below 6.40% per annum (which is the same interest rate as in effect from and including the Original Issue Date to, but excluding, the First Reset Date).
Interest Payment Dates: February 15 and August 15, beginning February 15, 2027, subject to the Company’s right to defer interest payments pursuant to the provisions set forth below.
Record Dates: (i) if all of the Notes are in book-entry form represented by one or more Global Notes, the Business Day immediately preceding the applicable Interest Payment Date and (ii) if any of the Notes are not in book-entry form represented by one or more Global Notes, the 15th calendar day preceding such Interest Payment Date (whether or not a Business Day) (each such date in clauses (i) and (ii), a “Regular Record Date”).
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this instrument to be duly executed.
Dated:
| EVERGY, INC. | ||
| By: |
| |
| Name: | ||
| Title: | ||
| By: |
| |
| Name: | ||
| Title: | ||
TRUSTEE’S CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION
This is one of the Notes of the series referred to
in the within-mentioned Indenture.
| Dated: | ||
| THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., as Trustee | ||
| By: |
| |
| Authorized Officer | ||
[Reverse of Note]
6.40% Fixed-to-Fixed Reset Rate Junior Subordinated Notes due 2057
| 1. | Interest |
Interest on the Notes will accrue from the Original Issue Date and will be payable semi-annually in arrears on February 15 and August 15 (each, an “Interest Payment Date”) of each year, beginning on February 15, 2027, to Holders at the close of business on the Regular Record Date for the applicable Interest Payment Date, subject to the Company’s right to defer interest payments pursuant to the provisions set forth below.
Interest on the Notes will be computed on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months.
The applicable interest rate for each Reset Period will be determined by the Calculation Agent (as defined below), as of the applicable Reset Interest Determination Date, in accordance with the following provisions:
As provided above, the applicable interest rate for each Reset Period will be determined by the Calculation Agent, as of the applicable Reset Interest Determination Date. Promptly upon such determination, the Calculation Agent will notify the Company of the interest rate for the Reset Period and the Company will promptly notify, or cause the Calculation Agent to promptly notify, in writing, the Trustee and each Paying Agent of such interest rate. The Calculation Agent’s determination of any interest rate, and its calculation of the amount of interest for any Interest Payment Period beginning on or after the First Reset Date, will be on file at the Company’s principal offices, will be made available to any Holder or beneficial owner of the Notes upon request and will be final and binding in the absence of manifest error.
If an Interest Payment Date, redemption date, or the Maturity Date of the Notes falls on a day that is not a Business Day, payment will be made on the next succeeding Business Day with the same force and effect as if made on such payment date.
“Business Day” means, unless otherwise expressly stated, any day other than (i) a Saturday or Sunday or (ii) a day on which banks and trust companies in The City of New York are authorized or obligated by law, regulation or executive order to remain closed.
“Calculation Agent” means, at any time, the entity appointed by the Company and serving as such agent with respect to the Notes at such time. Unless the Company has validly called all of the outstanding Notes for redemption on a redemption date occurring prior to the First Reset Date, the Company will appoint a Calculation Agent for the Notes prior to the Reset Interest Determination Date immediately preceding the First Reset Date; provided that, if the Company has called all of the outstanding Notes for redemption on a redemption date occurring prior to the First Reset Date but the Company does not redeem all of the outstanding Notes on such redemption date, the Company will appoint a Calculation Agent for the Notes as promptly as practicable after such proposed redemption date. The Company may terminate any such appointment and may appoint a successor Calculation Agent at any time and from time to time (so long as there shall always be a Calculation Agent in respect of the Notes when so required). The Company may appoint itself or an affiliate of the Company as Calculation Agent.
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“Five-year U.S. Treasury Rate” means, as of any Reset Interest Determination Date, (i) an interest rate (expressed as a decimal) determined to be the per annum rate equal to the arithmetic mean of the yields to maturity for U.S. Treasury securities adjusted to constant maturity with a maturity of five years from the next Reset Date and trading in the public securities markets, for the five consecutive Business Days immediately prior to the respective Reset Interest Determination Date as published (or, if fewer than five consecutive Business Days are so published on the applicable Reset Interest Determination Date, for such number of Business Days published) in the most recent H.15, or (ii) if there is no such published U.S. Treasury security with a maturity of five years from the next Reset Date and trading in the public securities markets, then the rate will be determined by interpolation between the arithmetic mean of the yields to maturity for each of the two series of U.S. Treasury securities adjusted to constant maturity trading in the public securities markets, (A) one maturing as close as possible to, but earlier than, the Reset Date following the next succeeding Reset Interest Determination Date, and (B) the other maturing as close as possible to, but later than, the Reset Date following the next succeeding Reset Interest Determination Date, in each case for the five consecutive Business Days immediately prior to the respective Reset Interest Determination Date as published in the most recent H.15. If the Five-year U.S. Treasury Rate cannot be determined pursuant to the methods described in clause (i) or (ii) above, then the Five-year U.S. Treasury Rate will be the same interest rate determined for the prior Reset Interest Determination Date or, if the Five-year U.S. Treasury Rate cannot be so determined as of the Reset Interest Determination Date preceding the First Reset Date, then the interest rate applicable for the Reset Period beginning on and including the First Reset Date will be deemed to be 6.40% per annum, which is the same interest rate as in effect from and including the Original Issue Date to, but excluding, the First Reset Date.
“H.15” means the statistical release designated as such, or any successor publication, published by the Board of Governors of the U.S. Federal Reserve System (or any successor thereto).
“Interest Payment Period” means the semi-annual period from and including an Interest Payment Date to but excluding the next succeeding Interest Payment Date, except for the first Interest Payment Period which shall be the period from and including the Original Issue Date to but excluding February 15, 2027.
“most recent H.15” means the H.15 published closest in time but prior to the close of business on the second Business Day prior to the applicable Reset Date.
“redemption date” when used with respect to any Notes to be redeemed, means the date fixed for such redemption pursuant to the Indenture.
“Reset Date” means the First Reset Date and February 15 of every fifth year after 2032.
“Reset Interest Determination Date” means, in respect of any Reset Period, the day falling two Business Days prior to the first day of such Reset Period.
“Reset Period” means the period from and including the First Reset Date to, but excluding, the next following Reset Date and thereafter each period from and including a Reset Date to, but excluding, the next following Reset Date.
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| 2. | Optional Interest Deferral |
So long as no Event of Default with respect to the Notes has occurred and is continuing, the Company may, at its option, defer interest payments on the Notes, from time to time, for one or more deferral periods of up to 20 consecutive Interest Payment Periods (each such deferral period, commencing on the interest payment date on which the first such deferred interest payment otherwise would have been made, an “Optional Deferral Period”), except that no such Optional Deferral Period may extend beyond the Maturity Date of the Notes or end on a day other than the day immediately preceding an Interest Payment Date. During any Optional Deferral Period, interest on the Notes will continue to accrue at the then-applicable interest rate on the Notes (as reset from time to time on any Reset Date occurring during such Optional Deferral Period in accordance with the terms hereof). In addition, during any Optional Deferral Period, interest on the deferred interest (“compound interest”) will accrue at the then-applicable interest rate on the Notes (as reset from time to time on any Reset Date occurring during such Optional Deferral Period in accordance with the terms hereof), compounded semi-annually, to the extent permitted by applicable law. No interest will be due or payable on the Notes during an Optional Deferral Period, except upon a redemption of any Notes on any redemption date during such Optional Deferral Period (in which case all accrued and unpaid interest (including, to the extent permitted by applicable law, any compound interest) on the Notes to be redeemed to, but excluding, such redemption date will be due and payable on such redemption date), or unless the principal of and interest on the Notes shall have been declared due and payable as the result of an Event of Default with respect to the Notes (in which case all accrued and unpaid interest, including, to the extent permitted by applicable law, any compound interest, on the Notes shall become due and payable). All references herein to “interest” on the Notes shall be deemed to include any such deferred interest and, to the extent permitted by applicable law, any compound interest, unless otherwise expressly stated or the context otherwise requires.
Before the end of any Optional Deferral Period that is shorter than 20 consecutive Interest Payment Periods, the Company may elect, at its option, to extend such Optional Deferral Period, so long as the entire Optional Deferral Period does not exceed 20 consecutive Interest Payment Periods or extend beyond the Maturity Date of the Notes. The Company may also elect, at its option, to shorten the length of any Optional Deferral Period. No Optional Deferral Period (including as extended or shortened) may end on a day other than the day immediately preceding an Interest Payment Date. At the end of any Optional Deferral Period, if all amounts then due on the Notes, including all accrued and unpaid interest thereon (including, without limitation and to the extent permitted by applicable law, any compound interest), are paid, the Company may elect to begin a new Optional Deferral Period; provided, however, that, without limitation of the foregoing, the Company may not begin a new Optional Deferral Period unless the Company has paid all accrued and unpaid interest on the Notes (including, without limitation and to the extent permitted by applicable law, any compound interest) from any previous Optional Deferral Periods.
During any Optional Deferral Period, the Company will not do any of the following:
| (i) | declare or pay any dividends or distributions on any Capital Stock of the Company; |
| (ii) | redeem, purchase, acquire or make a liquidation payment with respect to any Capital Stock of the Company; |
| (iii) | pay any principal, interest (to the extent such interest is deferrable) or premium on, or repay, repurchase or redeem, any indebtedness of the Company that ranks equally with or junior to the Notes in right of payment; or |
| (iv) | make any payments with respect to any guarantees by the Company of any indebtedness if such guarantees rank equally with or junior to the Notes in right of payment; |
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provided; however, during an Optional Deferral Period, the Company may (a) declare and pay dividends or distributions payable solely in shares of the Company’s common stock (together, for the avoidance of doubt, with cash in lieu of any fractional share) or options, warrants or rights to subscribe for or purchase shares of the Company’s common stock, (b) declare and pay any dividend in connection with the implementation of a plan (a “Rights Plan”) providing for the issuance by the Company to all holders of the Company’s common stock of rights entitling them to subscribe for or purchase common stock or any class or series of the Company’s preferred stock, which rights (1) are deemed to be transferred with such common stock, (2) are not exercisable until the occurrence of a specified event or events and (3) are also issued in respect of future issuances of the Company’s common stock, (c) issue any of shares of the Company’s Capital Stock under any Rights Plan or redeem or repurchase any rights distributed pursuant to a Rights Plan, (d) reclassify the Company’s Capital Stock or exchange or convert one class or series of the Company’s Capital Stock for another class or series of the Company’s Capital Stock, (e) purchase fractional interests in shares of the Company’s Capital Stock pursuant to the conversion or exchange provisions of such Capital Stock or the security being converted or exchanged, (f) purchase, acquire or withhold shares of the Company’s common stock related to the issuance of the Company’s common stock or rights under any dividend reinvestment plan or related to any of the Company’s benefit plans for the Company’s directors, officers, employees, consultants or advisors, including any employment contract, (g) for the avoidance of doubt, convert convertible Capital Stock of the Company into other Capital Stock of the Company in accordance with the terms of such convertible Capital Stock (together, for the avoidance of doubt, with cash in lieu of any fractional share), and (h) settle conversions of any convertible notes that rank equally with the Notes.
The Company will give the Holders of the Notes and the Trustee written notice of its election of, or any shortening or extension of, an Optional Deferral Period at least 10 Business Days prior to the earlier of (1) the next succeeding Interest Payment Date or (2) the date upon which the Company is required to give notice to any applicable self-regulatory organization or to Holders of the Notes of the next succeeding Interest Payment Date or the Regular Record Date therefor. The Regular Record Date for the payment of deferred interest and, to the extent permitted by applicable law, any compound interest payable on the Interest Payment Date immediately following the last day of an Optional Deferral Period will be the Regular Record Date with respect to such Interest Payment Date.
“Capital Stock” means (i) in the case of a corporation or a company, corporate stock or shares; (ii) in the case of an association or business entity, any and all shares, interests, participations, rights or other equivalents (however designated) of corporate stock; (iii) in the case of a partnership or limited liability company, partnership or membership interests (whether general or limited); and (iv) any other interest or participation that confers on a person the right to receive a share of the profits and losses of, or distributions of assets of, the issuing person.
| 3. | Subordination |
The indebtedness represented by the Notes and the payment of the principal of and any premium or interest on each and all of the Notes is subordinate in right of payment to the prior payment in full of all Senior Indebtedness (as defined below), to the extent set forth in the Indenture. Senior Indebtedness shall continue to be Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Notes irrespective of any amendment, modification or waiver of any term of such Senior Indebtedness or extension or renewal of such Senior Indebtedness (other than any such amendment, modification or waiver that makes such Senior Indebtedness subordinated or equal in right of payment to the Notes).
“Senior Indebtedness” means, with respect to the Notes, (i) indebtedness of the Company, whether outstanding at the date of the indenture or incurred, created or assumed after such date, (a) in respect of money borrowed by the Company (including any financial derivative, hedging or futures contract or similar instrument, to the extent any such item is primarily a financing transaction) and (b) evidenced by debentures, bonds, notes, credit or loan agreements or other similar instruments or
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agreements issued or entered into by the Company; (ii) all finance lease obligations of the Company; (iii) all obligations of the Company issued or assumed as the deferred purchase price of property, all conditional sale obligations of the Company and all obligations of the Company under any title retention agreement (but excluding, for the avoidance of doubt, trade accounts payable arising in the ordinary course of business and long-term purchase obligations); (iv) all obligations of the Company for the reimbursement of any letter of credit, banker’s acceptance, security purchase facility or similar credit transaction; and (v) all obligations of the type referred to in clauses (i) through (iv) above of other persons for the payment of which the Company is responsible or liable as obligor, guarantor or otherwise, except for any obligations, instruments or agreements of the type referred to in any of clauses (i) through (v) above that, by the terms of the instruments or agreements creating or evidencing the same or pursuant to which the same is outstanding, are subordinated or equal in right of payment to the Notes.
| 4. | Method of Payment |
The Company will pay interest on the Notes (except defaulted interest) to the Persons who are registered Holders of Notes at the close of business on the Regular Record Date next preceding each Interest Payment Date even if Notes are canceled after the Regular Record Date and on or before the Interest Payment Date. Holders must surrender Notes to a Paying Agent to collect principal payments. The Company will pay principal and interest in money of the United States that at the time of payment is legal tender for payment of public and private debts. Payments in respect of the Notes represented by a Global Note (including principal, premium, if any, and interest) will be made by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the accounts specified by DTC, as Depositary.
| 5. | Paying Agent and Security Registrar |
Initially, the Trustee will act as paying agent and registrar. The Company may appoint and change any paying agent or registrar without notice to the Holders. The Company may act as paying agent or registrar.
| 6. | Indenture |
The Company issued the Notes under an Indenture dated as of May 18, 2009 (the “Base Indenture”), by and between the Company and The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., a national banking association (the “Trustee”), as supplemented by Supplemental Indenture No. 5 dated as of August 24, 2026 (the “Supplemental Indenture”), by and between the Company and the Trustee (the Base Indenture, as amended and supplemented by the Supplemental Indenture, the “Indenture”). The terms of the Notes include those stated in the Indenture and those made part of the Indenture by reference to the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (15 U.S.C. sections 77aaa-77bbbb) as in effect on the date of the Supplemental Indenture (the “Act”). Capitalized terms used herein and defined in the Indenture but not defined herein have the respective meanings ascribed thereto in the Indenture. The Notes are subject to all such terms, and Holders of Notes are referred to the Indenture and the Act for a statement of those terms.
The Notes issued on the Original Issue Date will be treated as a single class for all purposes under the Indenture.
| 7. | Optional Redemption |
The Company may redeem some or all of the Notes, at its option, in whole or in part (i) on any day in the period commencing on the date falling 90 days prior to the First Reset Date and ending on and including the First Reset Date and (ii) after the First Reset Date, on any interest payment date, at a redemption price in cash equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Notes being redeemed, plus (subject to the provisions set forth in the Indenture regarding the payment of installments of interest on the Notes that are due and payable on any Interest Payment Date falling on or prior to a redemption date), accrued and unpaid interest on the Notes to be redeemed to, but excluding, the redemption date.
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The Company may at its option redeem the Notes, in whole but not in part, at any time following the occurrence and during the continuance of a Tax Event (as defined below) at a redemption price in cash equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Notes, plus (subject to the provisions set forth in the Indenture regarding the payment of installments of interest on the Notes that are due and payable on any Interest Payment Date falling on or prior to a redemption date), accrued and unpaid interest on the Notes to, but excluding, the redemption date.
“Tax Event” means that the Company has received an opinion of counsel experienced in such matters to the effect that, as a result of:
(i) any amendment to, clarification of, or change, including any announced prospective change, in the laws or treaties of the United States or any of its political subdivisions or taxing authorities, or any regulations under those laws or treaties;
(ii) an administrative action, which means any judicial decision or any official administrative pronouncement, ruling, regulatory procedure, notice or announcement, including any notice or announcement of intent to issue or adopt any administrative pronouncement, ruling, regulatory procedure or regulation;
(iii) any amendment to, clarification of, or change in the official position or the interpretation of any administrative action or judicial decision or any interpretation or pronouncement that provides for a position with respect to an administrative action or judicial decision that differs from the previously generally accepted position, in each case by any legislative body, court, governmental authority or regulatory body, regardless of the time or manner in which that amendment, clarification or change is introduced or made known; or
(iv) a threatened challenge asserted in writing in connection with a tax audit of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or a publicly-known threatened challenge asserted in writing against any other taxpayer that has raised capital through the issuance of securities that are substantially similar to the Notes,
which amendment, clarification or change is effective or the administrative action is taken or judicial decision, interpretation or pronouncement is issued or threatened challenge is asserted or becomes publicly-known after August 17, 2026, there is more than an insubstantial risk that interest payable by the Company on the Notes is not deductible, or within 90 days would not be deductible, in whole or in part, by the Company for United States federal income tax purposes.
The Company may at its option redeem the Notes, in whole but not in part, at any time following the occurrence and during the continuance of a Rating Agency Event (as defined below) at a redemption price in cash equal to 102% of the principal amount of the Notes, plus (subject to the provisions set forth in the Indenture regarding the payment of installments of interest on the Notes that are due and payable on any Interest Payment Date falling on or prior to a redemption date), accrued and unpaid interest on the Notes to, but excluding, the redemption date.
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“Rating Agency Event” means, as of any date, a change, clarification or amendment in the methodology published by any nationally recognized statistical rating organization within the meaning of Section 3(a)(62) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (or any successor provision thereto), that then publishes a rating for the Company (together with any successor thereto, a “rating agency”) in assigning equity credit to securities such as the Notes, (a) as such methodology was in effect on August 17, 2026, in the case of any rating agency that published a rating for the Company as of August 17, 2026, or (b) as such methodology was in effect on the date such rating agency first published a rating for the Company, in the case of any rating agency that first publishes a rating for the Company after August 17, 2026 (in the case of either clause (a) or (b) above, the “current methodology”), that results in (i) any shortening of the length of time for which a particular level of equity credit pertaining to the Notes by such rating agency would have been in effect had the current methodology not been changed or (ii) a lower equity credit (including up to a lesser amount) being assigned by such rating agency to the Notes as of the date of such change, clarification or amendment than the equity credit that would have been assigned to the Notes by such rating agency had the current methodology not been changed.
The Company may at its option redeem the Notes, in whole but not in part, following the occurrence of a Tax Credit Event (as defined below), at a redemption price in cash equal to 101% of the principal amount of the Notes, plus (subject to the provisions set forth in the Indenture regarding the payment of installments of interest on the Notes that are due and payable on any Interest Payment Date falling on or prior to a redemption date), accrued and unpaid interest on the Notes to, but excluding, the redemption date. A notice of redemption of the Notes upon the occurrence of a Tax Credit Event (i) may only be sent by the later of (a) the end of the calendar year in which the Notes were issued and (b) six months from the date of issuance of the Notes and (ii) shall be accompanied by an Officers’ Certificate of the Company stating that a Tax Credit Event has occurred.
“Tax Credit Event” means that, in the Company’s reasonable determination, there exists a material risk, due to the Notes (considered together with other debt) having been issued, as part of an original issuance, to one or more “specified foreign entities,” as defined in Section 7701(a)(51)(B) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), that the Company or any of its affiliates would be unable to utilize or otherwise ineligible to claim any tax credits otherwise allowed under Section 38 of the Code.
The Trustee shall have no duty to calculate the redemption price.
| 8. | Notice of Redemption |
Notice of any redemption will be mailed or electronically delivered (or otherwise transmitted in accordance with the Depositary’s procedures) at least 10 days but not more than 60 days before the redemption date to each Holder of Notes to be redeemed in accordance with Section 3.02 of the Indenture. In the case of a partial redemption, the Trustee will select the Notes to be redeemed by lot or, in the case of Notes in book-entry form represented by one or more Global Notes, by such other customary method prescribed by the Depositary. No Notes of a principal amount of $2,000 or less will be redeemed in part. If any Note is to be redeemed in part only, the notice of redemption that relates to such Note will state the portion of the principal amount of the Note to be redeemed. A new Note in a principal amount equal to the unredeemed portion of the original Note will be issued in the name of the Holder of the original Note upon surrender for cancellation of the original Note. For so long as the Notes are held by DTC (or another Depositary), the redemption of the Notes shall be done in accordance with the policies and procedures of the Depositary, which may be on a pro rata pass-through distribution of principal basis. Unless the Company defaults in payment of the redemption price, on and after the redemption date interest will cease to accrue on the Notes or portions thereof called for redemption.
If, at the time a notice of redemption is given, (i) the Company has not effected satisfaction and discharge of the Notes pursuant to Article V of the Base Indenture and (ii) such notice of redemption is not being given in connection with or in order to effect satisfaction and discharge of the Notes, then, if the notice of redemption so provides and at the Company’s option, the redemption may be subject to the
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condition that the Trustee shall have received, on or before the applicable redemption date, monies in an amount sufficient to pay the redemption price and accrued and unpaid interest on the Notes called for redemption to, but excluding, the redemption date. If monies in such amount are not received by the Trustee on or before such redemption date, such notice of redemption shall be automatically canceled and of no force or effect, such proposed redemption shall be automatically canceled and the Company shall not be required to redeem the Notes called for redemption on such redemption date. In the event that a redemption is canceled, the Company will, not later than the Business Day immediately following the proposed redemption date, deliver, or cause to be delivered, notice of such cancellation to the Holders of the Notes called for redemption (which notice will also indicate that any Notes or portions thereof surrendered for redemption shall be returned to the applicable Holders), and the Company will direct the Trustee to, and the Trustee will, promptly return any Notes or portions thereof that have been surrendered for redemption to the applicable Holders.
| 9. | Additional Notes |
The Company may, without the consent of the Holders of the Notes, create and issue additional Notes ranking equally with the Notes in all respects, including having the same terms (except for the price to public, the issue date and the initial interest accrual date and the first Interest Payment Date, as applicable), so that such additional Notes shall be consolidated and form a single series with the Notes and shall have the same terms as to status, redemption or otherwise as the Notes. Such additional Notes will have the same CUSIP number as the Notes being authenticated on the date hereof, provided that such additional Notes are part of the same issue as the Notes being authenticated on the date hereof for U.S. federal income tax purposes. If such additional Notes are not part of the same issue for U.S. federal income tax purposes, such additional Notes must be issued with a separate CUSIP number. No additional Notes may be issued if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing with respect to the Notes.
| 10. | Denominations; Transfer; Exchange |
The Notes are in registered form without coupons in denominations of $2,000 principal amount and integral multiples of $1,000. A Holder may transfer or exchange Notes in accordance with the Indenture. The registrar may require a Holder, among other things, to furnish appropriate endorsements or transfer documents and to pay any taxes and fees required by law or permitted by the Indenture. The registrar need not register the transfer or exchange of any Notes selected for redemption (except, in the case of a Note to be redeemed in part, the portion of the Note not to be redeemed) for a period of fifteen (15) Business Days before a selection of Notes to be redeemed.
| 11. | Persons Deemed Owners |
The registered Holder of this Note may be treated as the owner of it for all purposes.
| 12. | Unclaimed Money |
If money for the payment of principal or interest remains unclaimed for two years, the Trustee or paying agent shall pay the money back to the Company at its request. After any such payment, Holders entitled to the money must look only to the Company and not to the Trustee or the paying agent for payment.
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| 13. | Satisfaction and Discharge |
Under the Indenture, the Company can terminate its obligations with respect to the Notes not previously delivered to the Trustee for cancellation when those Notes have become due and payable or will become due and payable at their Stated Maturity within one year or are to be called for redemption within one year under arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for giving notice of redemption. The Company may terminate its obligations with respect to the Notes by depositing with the Trustee, as funds in trust dedicated solely for that purpose, an amount sufficient to pay and discharge the entire indebtedness on the Notes. In that case, the Indenture will cease to be of further effect and the Company’s obligations will be satisfied and discharged with respect to the Notes (except as to the Company’s obligations to pay all other amounts due under the Indenture and to provide certain Officers’ Certificates and Opinions of Counsel to the Trustee). At the expense of the Company, the Trustee will execute proper instruments acknowledging the satisfaction and discharge.
| 14. | Defaults and Remedies |
If an Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the Trustee or the Holders of at least 33% in principal amount of such series then outstanding may declare all the Notes to be due and payable immediately.
Neither the Trustee nor the Holders of the Notes shall be entitled to declare the principal of or accrued and unpaid interest on the Notes to be immediately due and payable by reason of the occurrence and continuation of an Event of Default specified in clause (c) of Section 6.1 of the Indenture as amended by Supplemental Indenture No. 5, and any notice of declaration of acceleration based on such an Event of Default shall be null and void with respect to the Notes; provided that, notwithstanding the foregoing, so long as an Event of Default specified in clause (c) of Section 6.1 of the Indenture as amended by Supplemental Indenture No. 5 with respect to the Notes shall have occurred and shall be continuing, the Trustee and the Holders of the Notes may exercise the other rights and remedies available under the Indenture in connection with such Event of Default, as well as such other rights and remedies as may be available under applicable law or otherwise.
| 15. | Trustee Dealings with the Company |
Subject to certain limitations imposed by the Act, the Trustee under the Indenture, in its individual or any other capacity, may become the owner or pledgee of Notes and may otherwise deal with and collect obligations owed to it by the Company or its affiliates and may otherwise deal with the Company or its affiliates with the same rights it would have if it were not Trustee.
| 16. | No Recourse Against Others |
A director, officer, employee or stockholder, as such, of the Company or the Trustee shall not have any liability for any obligations of the Company under the Notes or the Indenture or for any claim based on, in respect of or by reason of such obligations or their creation. By accepting a Note, each Holder waives and releases all such liability. The waiver and release are part of the consideration for the issue of the Notes.
| 17. | Authentication |
This Note shall not be valid until an authorized signatory of the Trustee (or an Authenticating Agent) signs the certificate of authentication on the other side of this Note in accordance with requirements set forth in the Indenture.
| 18. | Abbreviations |
Customary abbreviations may be used in the name of a Holder or an assignee, such as TEN COM (=tenants in common), TEN ENT (=tenants by the entireties), JT TEN (=joint tenants with rights of survivorship and not as tenants in common), CUST (=custodian), and U/G/M/A (=Uniform Gift to Minors Act).
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| 19. | CUSIP and ISIN Numbers |
Pursuant to a recommendation promulgated by the Committee on Uniform Security Identification Procedures, the Company has caused the applicable CUSIP number to be printed on the Notes and has directed the Trustee to use such CUSIP number in any notice of redemption as a convenience to the Holders. To the extent such number has been issued, the Company has caused the applicable ISIN number to be similarly printed on the Notes and has similarly instructed the Trustee. No representation is made as to the accuracy of such numbers either as printed on the Notes or as contained in any notice of redemption and reliance may be placed only on the other identification numbers placed thereon.
| 20. | Governing Law. |
THIS NOTE SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE INTERNAL LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, WITHOUT GIVING EFFECT TO CONTRARY CONFLICT OF LAWS OR CHOICE OF LAWS PROVISIONS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION.
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The Company will furnish to any Holder upon written request and without charge to the Holder a copy of the Indenture. Requests may be made to:
Evergy, Inc.
1200 Main Street
Kansas City, Missouri 64105
(816) 556-2200
A-11
ASSIGNMENT FORM
To assign this Note, fill in the form below: I or
we assign and transfer this Note to
(Print or type assignee’s name, address and zip
code) (Insert assignee’s soc. Sec. or tax I.D. No.)
and irrevocably appoint ________________________ agent to transfer this Note on the books of the Company. The agent may substitute another to act for him.
| Date: | Your Signature: |
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| Signature Guarantee: | ||||||
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| Signature must be guaranteed | Signature | |||||
Signatures must be guaranteed by an “eligible guarantor institution” meeting the requirements of the Security Registrar, which requirements include membership or participation in the Security Transfer Agent Medallion Program (“STAMP”) or such other “signature guarantee program” as may be determined by the Security Registrar in addition to, or in substitution for, STAMP, all in accordance with the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
A-12
Exhibit 5.1
August 24, 2026
Evergy, Inc.
1200 Main Street
Kansas City, Missouri 64105
| Re: | Evergy, Inc. |
Registration Statement on Form S-3
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We have served as counsel to Evergy, Inc., a Missouri corporation (the “Company”), in connection with the issuance and sale by the Company of $600,000,000 in aggregate principal amount of the Company’s 6.40% Fixed-to-Fixed Reset Rate Junior Subordinated Notes due 2057 (the “Notes”), covered by the Company’s Registration Statement (the “Registration Statement”) on Form S-3 (File No. 333-281614), including the prospectus constituting a part thereof, dated August 16, 2024, and the final prospectus supplement, dated August 17, 2026 (collectively, the “Prospectus”), filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”).
The Notes were issued under the Company’s Subordinated Indenture, dated as of May 18, 2009 (the “Original Indenture”) between the Company and The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., as trustee (in such capacity, the “Trustee”), as supplemented by Supplemental Indenture No. 3, dated as of June 4, 2018 (“Supplemental Indenture No. 3”) and as supplemented by Supplemental Indenture No. 5, dated as of August 24, 2026, establishing the forms, terms and other provisions of the Notes (together with the Original Indenture and Supplemental Indenture No. 3, the “Indenture”). The Notes were sold by the Company pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement, dated August 17, 2026, among the Company, BofA Securities, Inc., Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, MUFG Securities Americas Inc. and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, as representatives of the several underwriters named therein.
In rendering the opinion expressed below, we have examined and relied upon copies of the Registration Statement and the exhibits filed therewith, and the Indenture. We have also examined originals, or copies of originals certified to our satisfaction, of such agreements, documents, certificates and statements of government officials and other instruments, and have examined such questions of law and have satisfied ourselves as to such matters of fact, as we have considered relevant and necessary as a basis for this opinion letter. We have assumed (i) the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, (ii) the genuineness of all signatures, (iii) the legal capacity of all persons other than the directors and officers of the Company and (iv) the conformity to original documents of all documents submitted to us as certified or photostatic copies and the authenticity of the originals of such latter documents. We have also assumed that the Indenture is the valid and legally binding obligation of the Trustee.
Evergy, Inc.
August 24, 2026
Page 2
Based on the foregoing, and subject to the qualifications and limitations hereinafter set forth, we are of the opinion that the Notes, when duly executed, authenticated and issued as provided in the Indenture and in the manner and for the consideration contemplated by the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, will constitute the valid and binding obligations of the Company (subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, fraudulent transfer or other laws of general applicability relating to or affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally and by the effect of general principles of equity, regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law). In rendering the foregoing opinion, with respect to matters of Missouri law, we have relied on the opinion of Heather A. Humphrey, Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary of the Company attached hereto as Annex I.
We express no opinion herein as to the law of any jurisdiction other than the law of the State of New York, the federal law of the United States and, to the extent set forth herein, the law of the State of Missouri.
We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion letter as an exhibit to the Registration Statement and to all references to us included in or made a part of the Registration Statement. In giving the foregoing consent, we do not hereby admit that we come within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act or the rules and regulations of the SEC thereunder. This opinion letter is limited to the matters stated in this opinion letter, and no opinion may be implied or inferred beyond the matters expressly stated in this opinion letter. This opinion letter is given as of the date hereof, and we assume no obligation to advise you after the date hereof of facts or circumstances that come to our attention or changes in the law, including judicial or administrative interpretations thereof, that occur which could affect the opinion contained herein.
| Very truly yours, |
| /s/ HUNTON ANDREWS KURTH LLP |
Annex I
August 24, 2026
Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP
200 Park Avenue
New York, New York 10166
| Re: | Evergy, Inc. |
Registration Statement on Form S-3
Ladies and Gentlemen:
I have served as Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary to Evergy, Inc., a Missouri corporation (the “Company”), in connection with the issuance and sale by the Company of $600,000,000 in aggregate principal amount of the Company’s 6.40% Fixed-to-Fixed Reset Rate Junior Subordinated Notes due 2057 (the “Notes”), covered by the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-3 (No. 333-281614) (the “Registration Statement”), including the prospectus constituting a part thereof, dated August 16, 2024, and the final prospectus supplement, dated August 17, 2026 (collectively, the “Prospectus”), filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”).
The Notes were issued under the Company’s Subordinated Indenture, dated as of May 18, 2009 (the “Original Indenture”) between the Company and The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., as trustee (in such capacity, the “Trustee”), as supplemented by Supplemental Indenture No. 3, dated as of June 4, 2018 (“Supplemental Indenture No. 3”) and as supplemented by Supplemental Indenture No. 5, dated as of August 24, 2026, establishing the forms, terms and other provisions of the Notes (the “Supplemental Indenture,” and together with the Original Indenture and Supplemental Indenture No. 3, the “Indenture”). The Notes were sold by the Company pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement, dated August 17, 2026, among the Company, BofA Securities, Inc., Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, MUFG Securities Americas Inc. and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, as representatives of the several underwriters named therein.
In rendering the opinions expressed below, I have examined and relied upon copies of the Registration Statement and the exhibits filed therewith, and the Indenture. I am familiar with the Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation and the Amended and Restated By-laws of the Company and the resolution of the Boards of Directors of the Company relating to the Notes. I have also examined originals, or copies of originals certified to my satisfaction, of such agreements, documents, certificates and statements of government officials and other instruments, and have examined such questions of law and have satisfied myself as to such matters of fact, as I have considered relevant and necessary as a basis for this opinion letter. I have assumed the authenticity of all documents submitted to me as originals, the genuineness of all signatures, the legal capacity of all persons other than the directors and officers of the Company and the conformity with the original documents of any copies thereof submitted to me for examination.
Based on the foregoing, and subject to the qualifications and limitations hereinafter set forth, I am of the opinion that:
| (a) | The Company is a validly organized and existing corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Missouri. |
| (b) | The Notes have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company. |
I am licensed to practice law in the State of Missouri and the foregoing opinion is limited to the laws of the State of Missouri.
This opinion is furnished for your benefit in connection with your rendering an opinion to the Company to be filed as Exhibit 5.1 to the Registration Statement and I hereby consent to your attaching this opinion to the opinion being rendered by you. In giving the foregoing consent, I do not hereby admit that I come within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act or the rules and regulations of the SEC thereunder. This opinion is limited to the matters stated in this letter, and no opinion may be implied or inferred beyond the matters expressly stated in this letter. This opinion is given as of the date hereof, and I assume no obligation to advise you after the date hereof of facts or circumstances that come to my attention or changes in the law, including judicial or administrative interpretations thereof, that occur which could affect the opinions contained herein.
| Sincerely, |
| /s/ Heather A. Humphrey |
| Heather A. Humphrey |
| Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary |
Exhibit 8.1
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HUNTON ANDREWS KURTH LLP 200 PARK AVENUE NEW YORK, NY 10166-0005 | |||
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TEL 212 • 309 • 1000 FAX 212 • 309 • 1100 |
August 24, 2026
Evergy, Inc.
1200 Main Street
Kansas City, Missouri 64105
Evergy, Inc.
$600,000,000 6.40% Fixed-to-Fixed Reset Rate Junior Subordinated Notes due 2057
To the Addressee:
We have acted as counsel to Evergy, Inc., a Missouri corporation (the “Company”), in connection with the offering and sale (the “Offering”) of $600,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 6.40% Fixed-to-Fixed Reset Rate Junior Subordinated Notes due 2057 (the “Notes”) of the Company pursuant to a preliminary prospectus supplement dated August 17, 2026 and a final prospectus supplement dated August 17, 2026 (together, the “Prospectus Supplement”) and an accompanying prospectus dated August 16, 2024 (the “Accompanying Prospectus”). The Notes were issued pursuant the Company’s Subordinated Indenture, dated as of May 18, 2009 (the “Original Indenture”) between the Company and The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., as trustee (in such capacity, the “Trustee”), as supplemented by Supplemental Indenture No. 3, dated as of June 4, 2018 (“Supplemental Indenture No. 3”) and as supplemented by Supplemental Indenture No. 5, dated as of August 24, 2026, establishing the forms, terms and other provisions of the Notes (together with the Original Indenture and Supplemental Indenture No. 3, the “Indenture”). You have requested our opinion as to certain U.S. federal income tax matters.
In rendering the opinion expressed below, we have made such legal and factual examinations and inquiries as we have deemed necessary or advisable for the purpose of rendering this opinion letter, including but not limited to the examination of the following: (i) the Accompanying Prospectus and the Prospectus Supplement, (ii) the Indenture and (iii) such other documents as we have deemed necessary or appropriate as a basis for the opinion set forth below.
As to any facts material to the opinion expressed herein, we have relied upon certificates and statements and representations and warranties of the officers and other representatives and agents of the parties to the documents and of public officials. In rendering this opinion letter, except for the matters that are specifically addressed in the opinion expressed below,
ATLANTA AUSTIN BANGKOK BOSTON BRUSSELS CHARLOTTE DALLAS DUBAI HOUSTON
LONDON LOS ANGELES MIAMI NEW YORK RICHMOND SAN FRANCISCO TOKYO TYSONS WASHINGTON, DC
www.Hunton.com
Evergy, Inc.
August 24, 2026
Page 2
with your permission, we have assumed, and are relying on without independent investigation, (i) the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, (ii) the conformity to the originals of all documents submitted to us as certified or photostatic copies and the authenticity of the originals of such copies, (iii) the genuineness of signatures, (iv) the legal capacity of natural persons signing the documents, (v) the necessary entity formation and continuing existence in the jurisdiction of formation, and the necessary licensing and qualification in all jurisdictions, of all parties to the documents, (vi) the necessary entity authorization, execution, delivery and enforceability (as limited by bankruptcy and other insolvency laws) of all documents by all parties thereto, and the necessary entity power and authority with respect thereto, (vii) the validity, binding effect, and enforceability of all documents, (viii) that each of the parties to the documents will comply (without waiver) with all of the terms of such documents, and (ix) that there is not any other agreement that modifies or supplements the agreements expressed in any document to which this opinion letter relates and that renders the opinion expressed below inconsistent with such document as so modified or supplemented.
In rendering this opinion letter, except for matters that are specifically addressed in the opinion expressed below, we have made no inquiry, have conducted no investigation and assume no responsibility with respect to (i) the accuracy of and compliance by the parties thereto with the representations, warranties, covenants, certifications and assumptions as to factual matters contained in any document or (ii) the conformity of the documents to the requirements of any agreement to which this opinion letter relates.
Based on the foregoing and subject to the qualifications, representations, warranties, covenants, certifications and assumptions stated herein, we are of the opinion that under current U.S. federal income tax law as of the date hereof, although there are no regulations, rulings or judicial precedents addressing the characterization of securities having terms substantially similar to the Notes for U.S. federal income tax purposes, the Notes will be classified for U.S. federal income tax purposes as indebtedness of the Company to the extent that they are not beneficially owned by an affiliate of the Company including (i) any member of the Company’s “expanded group” within the meaning of the regulations under section 385 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”) (hereinafter, such regulations are the “Section 385 Regulations”), (ii) with respect to the Company’s expanded group, a “controlled partnership” within the meaning of the Section 385 Regulations, or (iii) a disregarded entity owned by any entity described in (i) or (ii) for U.S. federal income tax purposes.
Other than in the context of certain related party debt instruments addressed under the Section 385 Regulations, there are no Treasury regulations defining instruments held by persons unrelated to the issuer as equity or indebtedness for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Furthermore, there are no controlling Treasury regulations, published rulings, or judicial decisions involving securities with terms substantially the same as the Notes that discuss whether, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, the securities constitute equity or indebtedness. Therefore, our opinion regarding the characterization of the Notes as evidences of indebtedness is based upon rulings and judicial decisions under the Code involving situations that we consider to be analogous and an analysis of all of the facts and circumstances surrounding the issuance and sale of the Notes.
Evergy, Inc.
August 24, 2026
Page 3
The foregoing opinion is based only on the federal income tax laws of the United States, Treasury regulations promulgated thereunder, and administrative and judicial interpretations thereof, all of which are subject to change. The foregoing opinion is limited to the matters addressed herein, and no other opinion is rendered with respect to other United States federal tax matters or to any issues arising under the tax laws of any other country, or any state or locality or governmental agency (other than the Internal Revenue Service) including without limitation (i) any statute, regulation, or provision of law of any state, county, municipality, or other political subdivision or any agency or instrumentality thereof or (ii) the securities or tax laws of any jurisdiction (other than the federal income tax laws of the United States). Additional issues may exist that could affect the United States federal tax treatment of the transaction or matter that is the subject of this opinion letter, and this opinion letter does not consider or provide a conclusion with respect to such additional issues. You should be aware that this opinion letter represents conclusions as to the application of existing law, regulations, administrative rules and practices, and legislative history to the transactions described above. There can be no assurance, however, that existing law will not change or that contrary positions will not be taken by the Internal Revenue Service. Any such change might be retroactive and might affect the opinion set forth above.
We express no opinion on any other laws and intimate no view on any other matter that may be relevant to your interests. We also caution you that our opinion depends upon the facts, representations, warranties, covenants, certifications, assumptions and documents to which this letter refers, which are subject to change, reinterpretation and misunderstanding. Our conclusion could differ if these items on which we have relied are, become or are found to be different.
This opinion letter is rendered as of the date hereof and we undertake no obligation to update the opinion expressed herein after the date of this letter or advise you of changes in the event there is any change in legal authorities, facts, representations, warranties, covenants, certifications and assumptions or documents on which this opinion letter is based (including the taking of any action by any party to the documents pursuant to any opinion of counsel or a waiver), or any inaccuracy in any of these items upon which we have relied in rendering this opinion letter, unless we are specifically engaged to do so. Except as described in the next paragraph, this opinion letter may not be distributed, quoted in whole or in part or otherwise reproduced in any document, or filed with any governmental agency without our express written consent.
We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Current Report on Form 8-K filed on the date of this opinion letter. We also consent to the references to Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP under the captions “Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations” and “Legal Matters” in the Prospectus Supplement. In giving this consent, we do not admit that we are in the category of persons whose consent is required by Section 7 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder by the Securities and Exchange Commission.
| Very truly yours, |
| /s/ HUNTON ANDREWS KURTH LLP |